Kingdom Hearts: Twisted Shadows
by Atlas Lives
Summary: Deep in the darkness, a new enemy plots his revenge and declares a war against the worlds as Sora's world is torn apart yet again. Separated from each other, Sora, Riku and Kairi will have to face enemies both old and new to defeat the darkness.
1. Prologue: Two Dark Figures

Disclaimer: Kiingdom Hearts is owned by Square Enix, Disney and other people and/or corporation more talented than I

* * *

**Kingdom Hearts: Twisted Shadows**

Prologue: Two Dark Figures

Nighttime at Destiny Islands was as peaceful as you'd expect. With all the children having gone home, the small island where they played was calm. Trees swayed lazily to the wind. The only sounds were of the waves lapping up the shore. The moon hung lazily at the sky, bathing the beach with a pearly white glow.

Two dark figures appeared, in a flash of energy.

One was clad in a large dark cloak that reached to the ground. This figure's face was obscured by the shadows of an oppressing hood. The other, taller figure was dressed in simple brown. His brown hair and pale face made him stand out of the darkness. His eyes, brown flecked with gold, narrowed at the scenery.

"He's late."

The shorter figure turned to look at him. "What makes you think that?" a soft, female voice said.

"You know his plan. He's always thorough. Exact and to the point. Not like Sora," The man snorted. "That makes him predictable. Easy to catch."

"That is true," the female said. "Shadou is hardly the type for indecision. But his plan still makes no sense. How does he hope to accomplish his goal? I've never heard of the Keyblade being able to do something like what he's planning."

The man sighed. "Whatever he's planning, it will be harebrained, idiotic and probably tear apart this world. He's already tried to open Keyholes in over twenty worlds. This is the only chance we have of surprising him. We can't fail now." He twitched then turned around.

"What is it?"

The man's eyes narrowed. "He's here."

A black portal opened up in front of them. They tensed, waiting who would come out. A figure emerged from its pools. It was garbed in tattered blue clothing. The figure's form seem distorted, warping into different forms. It had an odd square head that was tilted to its right. There was a horizontal rip across where the eyes should be. From inside the rip, distant light twinkled through. An emblem was on its chest.

The man gave a derisive snort. "False alarm. It's only a Memoriam."

"But what's it doing here-"

The creature- the Memoriam- suddenly gave a horrific cry that rang out into the distance. It sprang at the two figures, arms raised in attack.

The man moved.

A flash of light. Everything was still again. The Memoriam was still, frozen in attack. The man was behind it, holding a large weapon. A Keyblade.

Black fragments slowly leaked out of the Memoriam. It slowly dissolved into a mass of black shapes, disintegrating into nothing. The man looked at the spot where it disappeared. Then he turned to his companion.

"Looked like a stray. We better move before more of them arrive." She nodded and waved her hand. A portal to darkness opened. Just as the two were about to step in, shapes began to emerge from the portal.

Ranks of Memoriam poured out of the portal. Many were stumbling over each other, trying to get at the two. The man grabbed the girl and thres her behind him, holding the Keyblade into attention.

"Go!" The man shouted, slicing at the Memoriam. Even as many fall, others replace their fallen comrades. The man continued to fight valiantly. "Get to the mainland! Protect Sora!"

"Terra!"

The man, Terra, gave the girl one more look. He raised the Keyblade and brought it down another Memoriam's head. "Fire!" He shouted. A flahs of light then a burst of brilliant flames exploded around him, taking out the mass of Memoriam in the portal. He then turned to the girl

"You're the only one who can do it now. I've failed too many times." He paused and waved his hand. A flash of light and another portal opened up next to the girl. "You can get to the mainland through there."

"I can't leave you!" The girl responded in defiance. He shook his head ruefully. Then he raised his hand and made a pushing motion. A powerful gust of wind threw the girl into the portal. He waved his hand and the portal vanished.

The Memoriam had spilled outside the portal and are now surrounding him. He raises his Keyblade and thrusts forward, catching one. He then swings it in an arc catching the rest and thrwoing the circle back. He put on a relaxed and charges, taking out the creatures with every swing. Parry a thrust, charge at another. He moved almost robotically, in clockwork. The Memoriam kept spilling out of the portal. He gave the portal a look and sighed.

"Just like the old days, huh?"

With the precision of an experienced soldier, Terra swung the Keyblade and went into an offensive stance, the Keyblade held out in front of him. The Memoriam swayed infront of the portal, now straining to contain the mass of bodies. They swayed around him, teasing him. Terra closed his eyes in concnetration. The Memoriam peered at him, curious.

His eyes flashed open. The Keyblade arced and slashed. the melee had begone again. The Memoriam, without thought, threw themselves at him only to be repelled and destroyed. Terra continued, unfazed, his face scrunched in concentration, felling the Memoriam. His thoughts were blank, concentrated on the fight in front of him. The endless stream of Memoriam continued to pour out of the portal, replacing their fallen ranks. Terra, however, showed no sign of exhaustion, his Keyblade slashing across the air, each stroke and hit ending a Memoriam. He didn't stop or pause even to draw breath. He just stood his ground, silent and unrelenting.

He didn't know how much time had passed. The last thing he saw was a hooded man dressed in blue before a blast of black lighting knocked him unconscious.


	2. Chapter 1: Mundane Lives

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is owned by Square Enix, Disney and other people more talented than I

* * *

**Kingdom Hearts: Twisted Shadows**

Chapter One: Mundane Lives

"So when we carry the two over the number, we get……"

The sun was shining through the windows, illuminating the dusty desks and rows of books that populated the classroom. Birds chirped happily, flying with glee throughout the air. The flowers were in bloom, painting the scene in colorful strokes. Treees were in their most vibrant green, alive with life. The shouts and laughter of playing children drifted through the glass. With the sound of the waves overlapping all of this, it was the perfect scene of a peaceful summer day.

Which, Sora told himself grimly, just added to the injustice of being in school.

Today was Tuesday. Only marginally worse than Monday, it lacked the expectation of Thursday, the middle-ness of Wednesday and the absolute thrill of Friday, where the air would buzz with excitement. Sora looked forward to those days. Then there'd be the weekend, which was far too short and always ended up as a blur. Monday looms all too near and the whol wretched cycle begins again.

And this was only his second month back.

This was Destiny Islands Parochial Middle School. A dowdy, out-of-the-way collection of sagging buildings in grimy red brick, it was situated in the part of the Mainland that Sora never paid attention to. He and his friends were always seen at the Town Square or in the Residential Area. Their only brush with education was the primary school, of which Sora only had vague memories of flinging paint. All of the classrooms here have a fine layer of dust covering every inch (When Sora asked his head teacher, Ms. Quistis Trepe, about this, she shrugged and said, "Budget problems can't keep a janitor here for more than two weeks). There's always a bookcase at the back of each room containing the exact same books, none of which seem to have been opened and read since they were put there.

Each classroom in the main building seemed to have been designed of one blueprint that was replicated twenty-times over. Confusingly, there were two second floors, separated by a garden containing a bench and a broken fountain. The garden was flanked by two wings, both containing classrooms. The only other building was the administrative building, a stooped, two-storey building squatting near the entrance. In there were the various administrative buildings and the teacher offices. Students held a yearly contest in which five contestants would try to TP as many teacher offices as possible (Sora was lucky to catch this year's contest and witness the rather unfortunate aftermath).

Sora was in Classroom B-5, resting his head on his hands, trying to concentrate. Classroom B-5 was the domain of Instructor Aki, an aboslute dictator of a teacher. Sporting a severely strict moustache, he does not hesitate to give students demerits for the tiniest of infractions. Just last week, he had given Sora punishment lines for yawning in class, something Sora tries to fight against whenever he attends his class. Strangely, Sora never encounters him outside of class. While he's seen the other teachers, like Miss Cym, out in town, Instructor Aki seemed to exist only in his classroom, only animating into life during a class. If you can call a monotone robot voice 'alive'.

Today was no different. If Sora was paying any attention, he would've noticed that he was doodling pictures of keys. Instead, as with most days, Sora's mind began to wander. The numbers in his thoughts bled away, replaced by memories. Him and Riku, racing along the beach. He and Kairi, looking out into the setting sun, thinking of possibilities. Donald and Goofy, crashing into him at Traverse Town. All of the friends he's made, all of the sights he's seen. His mind raced.

Sora's eyelids slowly drooped. His arms gave out. Without support, his head fell on the table with a loud THUNK!

Instructor Aki stopped his lecture. "Sora!" He shouted.

Sora's eyes opened wide. "Whuha?" He uttered. Immediately, the entire class began giggling loudly. Sora looked around in confusion at the winking faces before settling on Instructor Aki. "Yes sir?" He asked timidly with a sheepish smile.

Instructor Aki crossed his arms and stared at Sora severely. Sora began trying to not look him in the eye. "Did I disturb you, Sora?" He asked sardonically. "Have I interrupted Your Majesty's oh-so important nap?"

Sora stuttered. "B-But sir-"

"I didn't ask for an answer!" Instructor Aki snapped. "You have just interupted today's lesson. As punishment, I'll just have to interrupt your life. I hope you don't have anything planned for the afternoon because you'll be spending it dusting out the room and all the erasers."

The class began laughing again. Sora shyly nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Yes sir," He answered.

Instructor Aki gave an indifferent sniff and, without pause, went back to his lecture, as if Sora's interruption was nothing more than a temporary glitch in today's schedule. Sora started to sigh then caught himself. This was the third punishment he got in the last two weeks. If punishments weren't a regular occurence in this class, he wouldn't have taken it to his stride. At the front, Tidus turns around and shoots him a wink. Sora smiled awkwardly.

This school, with its cloying blandness and dusty corridors, was a far cry from the exotic worlds and incredible adventures of the past. Sora never really thought what he would feel or do once he got back to Destiny Islands. All that time, he was more concerned with finding Riku and Kairi, not to mention fighting the Heartless and Nobodies than beyond all that. The realities of life surprised him. Fighting a thousand Heartless seemed like child's play compared to dividing an algebraic equation with another. Battling the Organization felt easier than trying to write about Destiny Island's first papou fruit grower. Even keeping a ball in the air for thirty minutes is infinitely easier than waking up in an ungodly hour and forcing himself to get up and endure a couple hours of tedium.

Maybe it _was_ his adventures that made him like this. Sora had seen so many different worlds, met different people, experience events that any normal fifteen-year old would normally never come across, it made going to a school seem _dull_. Boring even.

_Stop it,_ Sora thought. _Don't even go there. Would you want to still be searching for Riku and Kairi? Fighting the Heartless? You're home now. You should be happy._

Instead of listening to his head, Sora began flexing his fingers. He could feel the grip of the Keyblade, a familiar sensation. He began wondering what would happen if a giant key would randomly appear in his hand in the middle of class. What kind of punishment could he get for that?

As much as he was tempted to try, Sora knew that he can't afford to lose more free time as it is. The school year's barely begun and he and Riku had a lot to catch up with. Having spent nearly two years battling Heartless and exploring different worlds, it was amazing how much they had missed. A new sport, some undertwater thing called 'blitzball', was the new thing (Sora had barely caught up with Tidus' explanation of the rules). Most of his friends have changed, along with new faces to be found around town.

Their island was unchanged, though. Everything that he had left when the darkness swept Destiny Islands was still there. The treehouse, the tress, the walkways, even the tiny boat they were planning on using. The Secret Place was still there, complete with the scribblings and doodles children have added to it over the years. The door was there, closed. It seemed like that night never happened, as if the door never opened and spilled out its contents. It was surreal, to say the least.

Not many go to the island anymore, especially after that storm. Tidus and Wakka are always busy with their blitzball game and while Kairi often goes with them, she's mostly with Selphie talking about things that just confuses him (Not to mention the many times they look at him and start giggling). So it's just him and Riku. Most of the time they talk while sometimes they practise with their Keyblades, just like their old routine. It's those times that Sora can really relax and forget about past experiences. He and Riku have been doing this since they were six, the only things changing that they were honed by real battle and the fact that they were wielding giant keys.

Riku. His best friend.

No doubt he was having more fun than him right now.

* * *

Riku wasn't having fun.

In truth, he was in a most miserable mood.

Inside the gym, Riku was setting on a bench, sopping wet. His hair was in front of his eyes, stuck to his head. No matter how many times he press the towel against his head, it always fills up with more water, water that is overfilling a bucket next to him. He's not the only one on the bench. More stragglers were seated on the bench, some chatting to others animatedly, others in a form of shellshock. It looked like a warzone.

This was just one of the effects of blitzball.

A whistle sounded and players began to emerge from the large tank that dominated the center of the gym. Many were grinning wildly, joshing with other players. One of them was holding the game ball and runs over to Riku. The coach, who's sitting in a large seat overlooking the pool, barks, "Alright, team 5 and 7, you're up!" Other players stood up or dragged themselves up and headed for the pool. The one with the ball, Wakka, seated himself next to Riku.

"Man, that is some game!" He exclaimed, shaking his head wildly. "Hey!" Riku protested, raising his arms in protection. "Stop that!"

"Sorry man," Wakka apologized. "Can't help it." He stretched on his back against the bench. He let his hands fall on his eyes while Riku looked on at the game. He could just make out the players' writhing forms under the water, chasing a ball. If he would squint, he could see their faces awash with glee.

When he had first tried to play blitzball, at the insistence of Tidus and Wakka, he had moved instinctively. It was much like moving through the darkness. On the move, all other senses blanked out by something wrapping around him. It was almost too easy.

Five minutes later, he was coughing for breath next to the pool, his bones shaking heavily. There was one important difference between moving through the darkness and moving through water: you can't breath in it.

"It's like riding a bike!" Tidus had said at the time. "You'll get used to it."

"I never learned how to ride a bike." Riku said before spitting out more water.

This had led him to dreading Tuesday afternoons, something he had shared with Sora through their constant complaining about it, what being stuck in a tyrannical teacher's class (though Riku suspects Sora exagerrates his punishments). He couldn't figure out why this is the only sport they do. Combat and sparring used to be the dominant sport in Destiny Islands, something he and Sora had done obsessively throughout their childhood. It seemed that, after the darkness was sealed away, the people just wanted to rest.

Which was fine with Riku. He had gone through hell and back, fighting the darkness not only in different worlds but also in himself. He had enough of fighting. Time to unwind.

If only there was a better way.

The whistle blew again. Wakka jumped up from his position, spraying Riku with more water. "Agh!" Riku exclaimed. "Relax," Wakka said. "Your team's probably next anyway. A little more water won't hurt." Seeing Riku's annoyance, Wakka began to laugh. "Enjoy yourself! You've been gone for quite a while, Riku. You've become more serious." He gave Riku a big smile then slapped him at the back. "Cheer up! Blitzball's not the worst way to unwind."

"Easy for you to say, you can stay underwater like you're a merman. I can barely last two minutes!"

Wakka only gave Riku an apologetic shrug. "Eh, everyone was to start somewhere. You'll get the hang of it. Uh oh." he said, looking at the coach. "Look's like you're up!"

Groaning, Riku left the towel and dragged himself off the bench, heading towards the pool. Wakka hurries up to him, shouting, "At least it's only five minutes!"

* * *

"So..."

"What?"

"What's the deal between you and Sora?"

Kairi rolled her eyes. This is probably the third time today Selphie has mentioned the subject. The girl won't just let it go unless she gets a straightforward answer from her. Kairi had already seen a pattern appear in Selphie's questions. She would always strike at the exact same time she had before, letting Kairi plan her responses, always a variation of a shrug or a brush-off.

They were in the school library at the period that has been designated 'study time'. The local PTA, in a desperate attempt to actually make these students learn, corralled each class to these periods were they would be told to study for exams, despite it being September and exams being more than ten months away. The students called this "Quiet Social Hour" or "Enforced Enclosure."

Kairi was absentmindedly stroking back pages on a book. Next to her, Selphie was busily scribbling on a notebook. Kairi had sneaked a glance on the book but the non-sequitir sentences left her confused. Selphie told her that she had her own code to prevent people from reading what she has written.

"There's nothing going on, Selphie," Kairi said. "We're just good friends."

"_Really _good friends?"

Kairi sighed and buried her head on the book in front of her. "Will you please drop it? We've gone through this again and again. Me and Sora are just friends. There's nothing going on. Drop it."

"If you say so." Selphie responded in a sing-song voice that indicated no intention of dropping it. She went back to her scribbling, a devious smile plastered on her face. Kairi hoped the girl wouldn't think of something different. She had gotten used to this routine. No need to change it now and actually force her in an uncomfortable position.

It's not that she didn't consider questions like that before. Especially recently, During that long, painful year, there had been a nagging loss, like a hole in her life that was just violently ripped out. Only when she had conversed with that boy (What was his name again? Have to ask Sora about that) that she had an inkling of what was missing.

Sora. Her friend.

Ever since Kairi had come to Destiny Islands, he had been her abiding memory. He had been the first to approach her and see her not as that mysterious weird girl but as a potential friend. They had spent all their time together, growing up, sharing experiences together. The three of them had been inseperable.

So why is she suddenly feeling...weird? Is that even the right word?

First, it was that sensation of numbness in the past year. She had just attributed it to missing Sora, having been such an integral part of her life.

Then there was their last adventure. That wave of exhiliration when she hugged Sora. Kairi was mentally replaying it in her mind now. It felt like a dream now, after being back into normality. That fluttering feeling she felt when she saw Sora for the first time in a year.

Now that feeling was there whenever she saw him. First it would be a smile. That infectious laugh of his. Sora was a guy who could never let anything bring him down. Not fascist teachers, crazed seekers of darkness or an army of Heartless can dampen his mood. Sora was an eternal optimist. No matter how gloomy or bleak the forecast was, he would counter it with a shrug and a smile. He was so adorable when he does that.

_If you think he's so adorable, why are you so confused?_

Kairi blinked. _What do you mean?_

_It's kinda obvious_, _don't you think?_

Even her brain was getting tangled. _Obvious?_

Her mental voice sighed. _Do I really have to spell it out to you? _

_Yes!_

_You. Like. Sora._

Now they were just going in circles. _I know that. We've been friends since I can remember._

Another patronising sigh. _You really have no idea what we're talking about, do you?_

Kairi blushed slightly. _Er, no._

_Let me reprhase it then. You have feelings for Sora._

_Feelings?_

_Feelings! You feel different about Sora now! You. Love. Him._

Kairi only gave another weary sigh. _Not you too! Why is everyone assuming that? Me and Sora are just friends!_

_Everyone isn't assuming this, everyone is saying it! The only other person who doesn't realize this besides you is Sora._

_Oh come on! _Kairi insisted._ That's not true! I would never fall for Sora, he's just a friend.  
_

Even more sighs from her inner mind. _You're still in denial. Don't worry, you'll figure it out. _Kairi could feel her imaginary friend leave her head in frustration, leaving her confused.

* * *

Twilight hour, between day and night, in Destiny islands is the most evocative and beautiful time to see the place. The setting sun's final rays bathed the Town Square in a sepia hue, making the place look like as picture postcard. Most of the town are milling around here, enjoying the cafes, seeing the shops along with a few tourists. Destiny islands is a small world, its inhabitants related to each other in some way. What few travelers who now venture here after the rupturing of the barriers between worlds were instantly charmed by the world's quaint atmosphere and friendly citizens.

Riku and Kairi were sitting at an outdoor table in the Luca Cafe & Bar. The racous cries of the establishment's nighttime residents were muffled behind the door which was guarded by a large, burly bouncer. Every five minutes, he kept eyeing them suspiciously. Riku would wave back half-heartedly every so often.

"Honestly, it's not like we actually want to go in there," Riku said unconvincingly, toying with a bottle of soda. "I've tasted alcohol and it wasn't that big a deal?"

Kairi raised an eyebrow. "When have you tasted alcohol?"

Riku shrugged. "This pirate world. I mean, that island was practically crawling with rum. I had to try one. 'Course, that fellow with the dreadlocks didn't take too kindly for that. Was raving in my face, asking me what I did with the rum.

"And you drank it all?"

"No," Riku said miserably. "They tasted like watered down lemonade. I just hid them somewhere near the trees, then I went to sleep. Next thing I now, this crazy pirate was jabbing me with his pistol, asking me questions about the rum. Didn't get sleep until a few days later.

"Poor Riku," Kairi said sympathetically. "You always try too hard. Let off some steam."

"I could if I can get in there," Riku muttered darkly. Kairi jumped up from her seat, pointing at Riku and said," Oh, so you do want to go in there! I thought alcohol was too watered for you."

"They have good alcohol in there!" Riku retorted, crossing his arms and frowning at the giggling Kairi. "Not cheap smuggler goods." Kairi only laughed harder, clutching her stomach. "Let's just change the subject." Riku said in exasperation. "Where's Sora?"

Kairi had to breath before she can talk. "I think he's doing a punishment from Instructor Aki."

Riku sighed, something kairi noticed. everyone seemed to be sighing a lot these days. "That's his third one this week. he has got to pay attention in that class. Can't he transfer?"

Kairi shook her head. "No, after a month, you can't change teachers. I remember you trying to get out of P.E. last week."

"It's just blitzball! I wouldn't have a problem if they did something else!" Riku ranted on, drawing out another smile from Kairi. It was like old times, before the madness and the chaos. Riku had taken the longest to adjust back to normality. He had let himself be swallowed up by the darkness and used it for so long. He admitted as much that there would be difficulties. Then again, he was the one who gave up the most for all of them to get back home.

"-idiotic premise anyway. Why would you want to play underwater? It's stupi-"

"Hey guys!" A cheerful voice called out and Sora unceremoniously deposited himself on the last seat. His hair was covered with chalk dust and his face was pale. "Riku going on about blitzball again?" He asked Kairi. She nodded, responding, "Yeah, we're just at the bit where he's telling us how water is bad."

Sora laughed as Riku gave Kairi a venomous look. He turned his glare on Sora, who immediately closed his mout. "That was quick. I thought it normally took you at least an hour and a half to dust out those erasers."

Sora looked sheepish. He rubbed the back of his head and said, "Well.....I was getting bored so," He drifted off.

Kairi gave him a look. "And?"

"I...kinda used the Keyblade."

"What?" Riku demanded. Kairi just looked confused. "How would you use the Keyblade for clapping out erasers? Scrape them with it?"

"Ha ha," Sora remarked. "I just used magic. You know, Aero."

"But Aero is a defensive spell."

"Not on me, idiot! On the erasers." Sora gestured to his hair. "Kinda made a mess. And of the classroom." Riku just shook his head in amusement. "You do realize that Aki's going to tar you next week."

"If I'm lucky. He'll probably sneak up on me and have me sent to a juvenile center or someplace horrific."

"A juvie center wouldn't be that horrific. And now way Aki would think that is horrific enough. He'll probably have you do something menial like paint the gate or something."

Kairi watched the two banter for a minute or so, not bothering to interject. She liked just listening to the two. They had always been trying to better each other, trying to outdo each other in a friendly rivalry. Kairi only watched from the , she watched the rest of the scenery. Three children were playing hopsctoch near the fountain. A black-haired girl was leaning against a wall, looking distantly into the sky. Three elderly men were chatting loudly, their voices blending into the din of the square. It was a perfect scene.

Everything was back together now. The Heartless and Nobodies were gone. Everything was back to normal. They could finally live their lives.

_BANG!_

A loud explosion suddenly rocketed from the distance. Without warning, a shockwave raced through the square flinging people to the ground. Kairi felt a large force knock her down. All she could see was the ground. She coughed then felt hands grabbing her and hauling her up. "I got you," She heard Sora say.

Back on two feet, Kairi saw that everyone was either on the ground or picking themselves up. Riku and Sora were next to her, surveying the scene. "What just happened?"

Riku frowned and ran towards the center of the square, followed by Sora and Kairi. "I don't know," Riku said. "It felt like an explosion-"

"There!" Sora yelled, pointing at the sky. Riku and Kairi turned.

A massive black tornado was in the sky, seemingly sprouting from one of the islands. It hung over the islands like a looming black vulture. Small figures were flying around it. The skies were darkening, shifting to something more menacing.

"No," whispered Sora.

"This can't be happening," Riku said.

Kairi opened her mouth only to be interrupted by black pools of energy suddenly erupting around them. The darkness dissapitated, revealing strange blue figures. They shifted from side to side, seemingly taunting them. Harsh, coughing noises emanated from them. "Heartless?" Kairi asked. Sora and Riku shifted themselves to attack, waiting for the creatures to move first. Two identical flashes of light and they were holding their weapons. The Keyblades.

"Kairi, get behind us." Sora whispered. He positioned himself and raised his Keyblade, waiting for the first strike.

* * *

Inside the small island were the children played was a very special area. It was a cave with a plain door. The door had never opened, no matter how many have tried. There was no doorknob or keyhole. It was more like a piece of wood blocking the way. Soon, not many took notice of it and it slowly became part of the culture of Destiny islands.

Over the years, the children have added to this place. Little scribbled drawings covered the walls of the cave. pictures of people, buildings, animals, anything their imagination can create.

He was looking at them, remembering drawing some of these pictures. They hadn't faded. Not one bit. The chalk seemed to have melded with the stone itself. Every scrap and memory passed into the cave was still there.

He kneels down and inspects the drawings. Then he notices something. A new drawing. Rather, someone's modified a drawing. A boy and a girl's heads were looking at each other, each smiling widely. That was what he remembered. Now someone has drawn them handing each other a paopou fruit, a local symbol of love.

Cute. He smiled wirily. Considering the pair that was depicted on the rock, it was too appropriate.

He stood up and looked at the door. He could feel the currents of darkness shifting behind the door. It was waiting to be unleashed, waiting for that special someone to open the door and let its waiting denizens into a fresh new world. Although this world was already torn apart once. It was a miracle it reformed after Kingdom Hearts was sealed back. The Heartless aren't that picky anyway. He had seen them tear their way through a world for its heart witn relentless tenacity. Whatever they want, they will fight to attain.

And so will he.

The whirling tornado could be heard outside the cave. His Memoriam are already in the town. With any luck, they would lead the wielders of the Keyblade here. Here, where it all started and where it will start to end.

He was patient. He had been patient for years. Now his story can begin and Sora's story could end.

He resisted the urge to smile. There would be plenty of that. All that's left to do is wait. Then his revenge could begin.


	3. Chapter 2: An Attack On All We Hold Dear

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is owned by people more talented than I. I mean, seriously more talented. Would you actually think this shclock could be made by Square Enix?

This was also plotted-out and made before 358/2 Days so my version of one character is quite different from canon

* * *

**Kingdom Hearts: Twisted Shadows**

Chapter Two: An Attack On All We Hold Dear

The creatures struck.

Sora was the first to react. Raising his Keyblade into the air, he shouted, "AERO!". Gusts of wind began to form around the trio. "Stay behind us," Sora said to Kairi before launching himself into the attacking monsters. The creatures attacked without logic, merely rushing forward and flailing their arms. Sora easily parried their clumsy strikes and retaliated with his own, destroying the monsters with one blow each.

The Keyblade felt new and familiar in his hands. He had practiced with Riku every now and then but only in real battle could he know his limits. Sora felt the Keyblade's familiar grip in his hands as he swung, parried, and thrust against the beasts. Every move and stance came back to him by instinct. It was as if he was never away from the fighting. He found himself smiling, something he quickly stopped.

Despite their lack of prowess, the creatures make it up for their numbers. For every creature that Sora destroyed, ten more leapt to replace it. They're beady yellow eyes almost seem to taunt him. Behind him, Riku was scything his way through the air, slashing almost indiscriminately at the wall of enemies in front of him, each slash taking five of them with it. He was a blur, moving in through the throng before coming back into the circle the mosnters have formed around the trio. Sora, feeling a small wave of exhaustion, retreated back and felt Kairi's weight supporting him. "You okay?" She asked. Sora nodded before Riku appeared in front of them, slicing through more of the creatures about to attack Sora. Sora retaliated by raising his Keyblade, shouting, "THUNDER!" Shards of lightning rained down on the creatures around them, giving them more space.

"Will you stay still?" Sora said to Riku playfully. "I can't keep track of you." Riku ignored the jibe and raised his Keyblade in front of him. "Any idea what these things are?"

"They aren't Heartless?" Kairi asked. Riku shook his head and gestured to the chest of one creature. "Look at is emblem," He said. Instead of the black heart emblem that adorned most Heartless, these creatures had a cross with four arms of equal length. At the end of each arm was a heart. It was in purple, contrasting from the light blue of the creature's skin. Their odd cube heads tilted to one side, as if they were curious as to what the three were talking about.

"Whatever they are, they die as easily as Heartless," Sora said confidently. "We can take 'em," Riku gave him a look, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, don't get cocky. Just because they're easy to destroy doesn't mean we should let our guard down." He motioned towards Kairi. "Don't forget. We're in home turf now. This is different."

Sora's grin was immediately wiped off his face. "Oh yeah." Beyond the mass of creatures, he could see people running away from the square. What was once a bright and vibrant part of town was now a battlefield. Debris was scattered all over the ground. Scars where their Keyblades scratched against the ground littered the area around. In just a few minutes of combat, the square had morphed from a place teeming with life to one utterly devoid of it.

All thoughts of getting back to the fray, of getting used to that feeling of swinging his trusty weapon against a few more of those things were now gone. Sora now had a grim, determined look. He swung his Keyblade forward. "You're right, Riku. This isn't about having fun," Sora looked so serious that Riku made a double take at the sight of his face. "Hey now, no sad faces. Remember what Donald said."

Sora turned and shot a confused look at Riku. "I'm just saying. Don't let your guard down but don't forget to let loose every now and then." Riku replied. "Ready for another round?" At this, Sora gave him a confident smile. "With you, always." In tandem, they leapt back at the writhing wall of enemies, slashing and slicing their way through.

* * *

All Kairi could do was watch as her friends risk their lives yet again for her. They had avoided venturing too far into the sea of creatures, always returning to the little circle they had formed around her and exchange a few deadpan quips, just like they used to do when they sparred. Neither showed any signs of exhaustion, though they were probably just showing off to each was all too much like their previous selves, before the Heartless intruded in their lives.

Normally, Kairi would've welcomed this change. They had spent the past month moping around, trying to adapt back to normal life. Riku was always at some point of the day depressed, brooding about the darkness. Sora was smiling less than usual, though he was visibly tying. They would always tense up at the slightest hint of danger, whether it be just a dog or their other friends.

Kairi had noticed these changes and tried to fix them. She was probably the hardest on the pair. After being alone for so long just waiting for them, she knew she had pushed them a bit too hard. Only recently did the pair's shells started to crack. They were beginning to act more normal and not like they were in constant threat. Their weekly correspondence with King Mickey and the others at Disney Castle probably helped.

When she had seen that bottle containing a letter from the King, she had immediately thought of more trouble. They had only just returned. Dragging them back into fighting and darkness when they had just vanquished a great evil seemed unfair to her. Thankfully, the King just wanted to create a form of communication between them and not get isolated in separate worlds. He had mentioned that whenever they send over a bottled message to the sea, it would always make it to their destination.

Every week, at Fridays, a bottled message would wash up against the beach. It would have the King's clear and elegant writing, Goofy's somewhat dirty scrawl and Donald's hyperactive script. Sometimes, Jiminy would put in a message or two. The three of them would head to the island immediately after school and write back a response. This had slowly added back pieces of their old selves to the two boys, especially to Riku. He was broodng less and less. Sora was smiling more. They were finally working their way back to a normal life.

And now this.

Kairi saw a red and black blur in front of her that must be Sora. He moved faster than his enemies could touch him, swipes from his Keyblade turning them wisps of white smoke. Riku was behind him, shooting out orbs of energy at a group of the blue creatures. Kairi had seen them fighting before, back at the Organization's castle but never appreciated how powerful and skilled the two were. She _had _seen them spar throughout their childhood but didn't really pay she saw how all those years of playful training had tuned the two into well-oiled fighting machines. Every move, every inflection, every swipe, she could see them now as part of an intricate system where attack is mostly at the forefront, with subtle shifts to indicate a form of defense. They _looked _like they were slashing at the air indiscriminately but Kairi could see that each slash was carefully aimed at a target. Sora was more brute force, each strike dealing a large amount of damage. Riku was more fast and fluid, delivering multiple strikes against a flurry of enemies. Both were hard to pin down.

Both were focused, intense. They barely resembled their normal selves, the friends she saw playing with their toy swords, just playing with each other. Kairi felt anger they be growing in her. It wasn't fair! Why couldn't they be allowed to live their lives in peace? Why does every part of the darkness target them? Why them?

Something clicked.

Kairi's eyes were wide open. Everything else in her vision became a blur. Sora, Riku, the creatures became indistinct. Instead, she saw something else.

She held out her hand. Tendrils of light flowed towards and around it, forming a bright orb of energy at the palm of her hand. She saw more of them, light bouncing as if they were waiting for her command. She could feel power coursing through her veins. The light suddenly flew from her hand and into her chest.

She gasped. Power was coursing through her veins. Her vision cleared and was instantly assaulted by sensory overload. Everything was clearer now. Sora and Riku weren't blurs anymore. She could see every creature in the square, every writhing movement, every sweep made by the two Keyblade wielders. Wisps of light flowed through their bodies, drifting lazily across the air. She held out her hands. Nothing had changed yet she felt power in them. She twitched a finger. Immediately, the light energy flowed towards her, hanging lazily in the air.

How did she not notice them before? All this time, this power was at her grasp. She could've fought Axel, she could've fought Maleficent, she could've been more than a damsel in distress. She could've actually _done_ something rather than be caught and used as bait. She flexed her fingers, feeling the energy. It felt potent. Where was it when she was at the World That Never Was?

Kairi sighed in her head. _No point complaining about that now. _That was the past. Now, she could actually do something in a fight. Confidence was brimming in her. _Why do Sora and Riku have to fight on their own? _Kairi smiled. This was going to be interesting.

She raised her right hand in front of her. The light surrounded it, encasing her fingers in a ball of bright energy. Without provocation, Kairi took of in a run towards the horde of creatures, her arms raised in front of her, a defiant smile plastered on her face. She heard Sora shout her name, saw Riku running towards her but didn't pause. Fear had completely left her. All that was left was a bright light.

As her hand slammed into one of the creatures, the light suddenly changed shape. The light continued to expand, surrounding her and blasting through the creatures, ripping them into shreds. She felt the light in her hands taking shape, forming something solid, something _familiar_. She curled her fingers around it and smiled even more.

* * *

Sora didn't see Kairi run into the horde. All he saw was the light.

"Agh!" He cried out, shielding his eyes from the intense glow. Howling winds began to emenate from the source of the light, pushing Sora and the creatures back. Pure energy surged throughout the area, charging the very air with power. Sora felt the power tingle in his fingers, the ones wrapped around the Keyblade's handle. The last time he had felt power like this it was in complete darkness and he was falling into oblivion.

"Sora!" Riku's voice called out to him. Sora felt someone land next to him and shouted over the wind, "What's happening?" Riku disregarded the question, responding, "Did you see Kairi?"

"What?" Sora said. He turned to Riku, almost obscured by the rays of light. "Is she still in there? I thought you got her?"

Riku shook his head. "No, the light stopped me. We have to get through there somehow." As if on cue, the light started to recede until it completely faded. The winds settled and evaporated. The power that had filled the air was now gone along with the light. As the light disappeared, Sora and Riku looked at the square in shock.

The creatures in the square were gone, the only thing left of them being dust. Kairi was standing in the middle of the square, a confident and rather smug grin on her face. Her stance had changed. She was no longer shifting meekly. She was standing straight, tall and proud. That wasn't the first thing Sora noticed though. What drew his attention was the weapon in Kairi's hands.

_A Keyblade_

Sora did a double take. The Keyblade Kairiwas wielding didn't look familiar to him. It had an odd floral pattern with the teeth of the key being a mass of flowers, a white shaft ending on a blue handle and a keychain fashioned in the shape of a papou fruit. Kairi turned to them and flashed both a glittering smile. "Did you see that?" She asked, her voice rolling with glee. She ran towards the pair only to falter and sway after two steps.

"Kairi!" Sora shouted, running towards her with Riku in tow. He held her up and said, "Are you okay?"

Kairi nodded an affirmative. "I feel dizzy."

"That's because you used up all of your magic," Riku said. "You put too much energy in that attack. Don't worry, you'll recover." Riku seemed content. Sora, however, was confused.

"But- you, Kairi, have a Keyblade?" Sora was babbling, something that made Kairi giggle. Sora finally managed to piece together a coherent sentence. "How come you have a Keyblade?"

Kairi glared at him. "Don't you remember? Back at the Organization's world, Riku gave me this Keyblade." At this sudden realization, Sora's face morphed from confused to apologetic, scratching the back of his head bashfully. "Oh yeah, I remember now. But how come you got that now? Didn't Riku give you that one in the castle?" He turned to Riku. Kairi was also curious.

"The Keyblade I gave you in the Organization's Castle was a construct of my memories and yours." Riku said. "You've always had the potential to wield a Keyblade, being a Princess of Heart. You just need to do it yourself."

Kairi nodded. She stood up, the dizziness leaving her. "At least I won't be a burden anymore. I can fight now."

"Don't say that!' Sora said. "You were never a burden."

"So why am I the one who's always getting caught, always used as bait, never actually doing something?" Kairi retorted. "I could actually do something now, not just watch from the sidelines." She frowned at the other two. "I won't be left behind."

"You were never left behind." Riku said. "Not by choice." Sora held on to Kairi's hands. "Yeah, we didn't want to leave you. It's just that you have a.....tedency to getting kidnapped?"

"Hey!" Kairi yelled. Sora broke into a sheepish grin. "How else can I describe it?" Kairi glared reproachfully at him, causing Riku to chuckle. "Like old times. eh?" Eventually, the other two began to laugh as well.

Their laughter was cut short by a powerful gust of wind. The trio raised their heads and found the tornado hovering in the sky had grown. It began to pulse red and twist into a ball. Black shadows were hovering around it. The sight disquieted them.

"Weird," Sora said. "Deja vu." "You got that right." Riku said.

Kairi gazed at the ball. "It looks like....it's above our island."

"Then whoever's behind it must be at the Secret Place."

"Maleficent?" Sora asked.

Riku shook his head. "No. Those things weren't Heartless. They weren't Nobodies either. They're something new."

"Well, whoever they are, we have to drive them out." Kairi said. "They can't just come here and ruin our home. Not again."

Sora nodded. "Then we'd better go and finish the fight. Are you feeling alright, Kairi?" At Kairi's nod, Sora said, "Let's go, then."

The trio began to walk out of the deserted square. As if in anticipation, the shadows in the sky suddenly flew towards them. At a closer glance, Sora saw that they weren't shadows. They looked like oversized bats with claw feet. They were dark blue, like the creatures in the square and had a pointed head. Grim, yellow eyes protruded from the heads. They flew at impossible speeds, headed for the trio. One of them was right on top of Riku.

"Look out!" Sora shouted. Riku glanced up and dodged the flying shadow's claws with a roll. He quickly brought up his Keyblade and vanquished the thing with an arc. "Piece of cake," He said, flashing Sora a confident grin. The grin soon vanished when a dozen more descended upon him. Sora and Kairi ran towards him only for more of the creatures from the square emerge from the ground, blocking the way. The creatures raised ther hands, forming a wall.

"Riku!" Sora called desperatedly. They couldn't see anything of Riku beyond shouts and momentary flashes of his Keyblade. A chortling sound suddenly came from the creatures creating the wall, They began to shake erratically, as if they were laughing. "Stop that!" Sora growled, thrusting his Keyblade at the one in front of him. The creature disintegrated only to be immediately replaced by another. Sora gave a yell of frustration. No sounds of fighting came from the mass of flying creatures now congegrated behind the wall. "Riku!" Sora called out again.

"Sora, get down!" Kairi yelled, running up behind him. Sora quickly rolled out of her way. Kairi swung her Keyblade in a wide arc in front of the wall. A slice of light shot out of the arc left by the Keyblade, destroying the wall in one stroke. Sensing the wall's destruction, the shadows took flight for the ball of energy. One of them seem to be clutching a blue and silver blob.

"No." Sora whispered. He stood in shock, staring at the departing mass. Not Riku. He was the best of them, the one who always comes out unscathed. Kairi went to Sora and grabbed him. "Sora, are you okay?"

"They took Riku." Sora said in a daze. "Riku.." Kairi shook him vigorously. "Concentrate, Sora! We have to get to the island. They probably took him there." Sora didn't give a response. Kairi slapped him in the face. "Sora! Look at me!" Sora's eyes finally began to move and suddenly widened.

Unexpectedly, Sora wrapped his arms around Kairi in the form of a hug and dove forward, tumbling on the dirt. Black lightning suddenly rained down on the spot, punching holes on the ground. Sora and Kairi looked up and saw the ball spitting out black lightning. It began to quiver and pulse, morphing and changing. Tentatively, Sora got up, helping Kairi to her feet. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it." Kairi said. "You fine now?" Sora nodded. "We need to keep moving."

"Why?"

In response, a bolt of black lightning fell in front of them with the force of a bomb. "Run!" Sora yelled. The two broke into a sprint, running desperately to avoid the lightning. Sora finally began to feel exhaustion. In the square, it had been easy. He was in his element, fighting hordes of creature with his friends, wielding his trusty Keyblade. Combined with the loss of Riku and now trying to avoid the attacks of a large ball of darkness, now Sora felt fatigue settle in his legs. He started to pant and wheeze. The world began to look blurry and faded. He could hear Kairi's frantic pace behind him, trying to keep pace with him.

The lightning continued to fall around them, every bolt of energy carrying a force of a thousand bombs. Sora felt the ground shake with each blast, feel stones rattling near his feet. The streets began to blur into one, each road becoming more and more indistinct. Only Kairi's harsh gasping signaled to her presence. "Where are we?" Sora whispered, his voice strained.

"Somewhere near the docks." Kairi answered. "We're almost there."

Her voice was drowned out by the lightning striking a building next to them. Debris and dust rained down on the two. Abruptly, the lightning suddenly stopped. Sora and Kairi paused, stopping to catch their breath. Sora was kneeling on the street, wheezing and coughing. Kairi edged towards him, looking worse, her skin shiny with sweat. Ahead of them, the ball of darkness hovered menacingly. More and more flying shadows congegrated around it, flapping in a deranged frenzy.

"Great." Sora said. "After surviving a barrage of deadly lightning, all we have to do now is row a boat while fending off flying creatures. This should be fun." He gave Kairi a weary smile and stood up shakily. "C'mon. Riku's waiting for us."

"It's not everyday we get to rescue him, huh?" Kairi asked with an impish grin. "He's going to sulk about this for a while."

Sora laughed at the thought. "He'll probably say this never happened and refuse to talk about it ever." He took a look at the desolated street they were in. It was a hellish warzone. Dust and debris covered the ground. Holes were the lightning fell surrounded them. The adjacent buildings were devoid of life. The once calm and yellow sky was replaced by a hazy purple hue, shifting and changing. It didn't look like Destiny Islands. Not anymore. "You think everything would return back to normal if we stop this?" He asked.

"We'll just have to try." Kairi said. She shivered then held up her Keyblade. "Do you feel something?"

"What is it?" Kairi turned around. "Them."

More creatures have spawned behind them. They all stood still, twitching slightly, staring at them with emotionless yellow eyes. All of them were in perfectly-lined ranks, an army of shadows waiting to strike. A wave of weariness struck Sora. "We can't take them," he said.

"Then we run,"

Sora gave Kairi a look. "I've never run from a fight before,"

"There's always a first time," Kairi said. "We can't take them all and Riku's in the island. We have to go."

Sora nodded, his hands gripping the Keyblade tightly. "Okay, okay. Today, we'll run. Seems like we've been running all day." Before they could run though, the creatures attacked. They jumped at them, their hands spread wide. Sora and Kairi rollled away and avoided the creatures. They fell in a heap but some managed to get to their feet and jumped again, aiming themselves at Kairi. In defence, she shifted her Keyblade in a guard position, deflecting some of the creatures. It wasn't enough and the creatures piled themselves on her.

"Kairi!" Sora screamed. He ran towards the squirming pile of shadows only to be blocked. "What?" He said. In frustration, he smashed the Keyblade against the air. It hit an invisible wall, flashing to life whenever he struck against it. _Not Kairi,_ he thought. _First Riku, now Kairi_. "Kairi!" He screamed, desperate. More and more creatures added on the pile.

Suddenly, a shaft of light shot it's way through the creatures. It expanded and exploded, sending the creatures back. Sora was once again forced to cover his eyes from the brilliant light. As the light disappeared, Sora could finally see Kairi, her Keyblade aloft, her expression grim. She saw Sora and tried to run towards him, only to be blocked by the wall. "What's this?" She asked.

"I don't know," Sora said, relieved. "Maybe you could double back, find another street." He looked behind her and said, "Oh no," Kairi turned around and saw more creatures appearing from the ground. They stood in front of Kairi, shifting and itching for a fight. Kairi turned back to Sora. "You'll have to go on ahead. I'll hold these guys off."

"No way!" Sora protested. "I won't leave you alone with them!"

"I'll be fine!" Kairi retorted. "Riku's the one who needs help and we won't get there in time if you just stay there! You'll have to go alone."

"But-" A glare muted Sora's protests. "I promise I'll be fine," Kairi said. For a moment, the harshness on her face melted. She gave Sora a small smile. "Go on. You're always the hero. Save Riku." With that, her face took on a determined look and Kairi ran into the horde, her Keyblade held at the ready.

Sora stared in wonder. This wasn't the Kairi he knew, the one that kept getting caught, always needing rescue. Then again, he had never really seen her in action, only from afar in the Organization's Castle and there was too much going on. This would need some getting used to.

_Not now,_ Sora thought. _Riku's still in the island._ _I'm coming._ He took his eyes of Kairi and headed towards the docks. Hopefully, his boat would still be there. Then sailing through the sea while enemies fly above his head. Then the island and whoever's behind this attack.

* * *

Kairi didn't think it be easy. She had little combat training, just a few sporadic rounds between some of her friends throughout the years. She didn't expect to suddenly be able to take on creatures like this with the same ease as Sora or Riku. Yet she felt like she had been wielding this weapon for years. The Keyblade guided her strokes, tempered her arm and generally led the way.

Kairi held the weapon with one hand so that she would have a wider field. Her other hand was clutching balls of white energy, same as the one she had been using throughout the attack. The creatures keep trying to surround her, only held in bay by blasts of energy. Whenever one would fall, ten more would replace it. Kairi fought back fatigue, keeping her Keyblade raised and striking anyone who would come close.

Wading into the horde was nonsense. It would make it easier for them to surround her and gain the upper hand. Instead, she created in he rmind a mental 'bubble' surrounding her, ending at the invisible wall that still sealed off the rest of the street. Anyone of them that tries to get through would be immediately met by the steel of the Keyblade. If three or more entered, then the light would take care of them. She didn't harbor any thoughts of actually winning. Destroying all the creatures by herself wasn't something she thought she could do all of a sudden. All she had to do was buy time for Sora to find Riku and stop this attack.

The creatures had formed a semi-circle around her, jumping and biding their time. The longer Kairi spent around them, the more repulsed she felt. The Heartless were comical and worst except for Ansem. The Nobodies were silent and never displayed emotion. These creatures though were perverse. They jumped and twitched erratically, never at ease. Their skins seem to shift with their movements like water or shadows. From their misshapen, box-like heads, leering yellow eyes protruded from holes that looked like they were ripped out hastily. These creatures seem like the demented workings of a child bereft of imagination or skill. They were horrendous. Kairi tried to not feel glad whenever she destroyed one of them.

There was no end to them. The blast she had made in the square seemed to have only stymied them for a few minutes, gathering reinforcements. No matter how many she took down and destroyed, there were still too many of them, all trying to get into the small street. Worse, she was beginning to feel tired. She finally stopped used the power of light and held her Keyblade with both hands. She had barely gotten a breather after the interlude after the lightning barrage. Her body felt beaten, her arms could barely keep themselves up and her vision was blurring. The creatures seemed nto sense this. More and more poured into her bubble of safety.

"How many of you are there?" She cried out in frustration. That was it. She would have to end it. In one powerful wave, she swung her Keyblade, pushing back the creatures. She then struck the weapon downwards, thrusting it into the ground. Kairi closed her eyes to concentrate and summoned up her last reserves of energy. _Hope this works again._ She thought wryly. Light pooled around the teeth of her Keyblade. The creatures backed off, wary at another blast. Kairi opened her eyes and gave them a smile.

The light expanded into a large blast of energy. White light engulfed the street, destroying the creatures congegrated in the street. All those at the back were thrown into the air by massive shockwaves emanating from Kairi's Keyblade.

As the attack began to break up, more creatures teleported into the street. They were half of the original horde, waiting for such a maneuveur. The light vanished and Kairi saw the street as packed as it was in the beginning.

_Great_, she thought. _Why did I have to spend all my energy on one show-off attack? _Gingerly, she stood up. Her legs felt like lead, her arms held down by exhaustion. The Keyblade was still in her hands, light as a feather, never feeling like a burden. Except for that, she felt like a zombie.

There was nothing else to do. The creatures edged closer, about to win a sure victory. Kairi didn't know whether to scream or laugh. _It doesn't matter,_ she thought. _All that's left to do is die. _Her thoughts went back to Sora and Riku. Hopefully by now, Sora would've gotten to Riku and put a stop to this. Destiny islands would be restored and her friends would be safe. She knelt on the ground, her Keyblade held in front of her, still defiant. Yet she can't summon the strength to lift it up.

_There's no more strength, _Kairi thought. She knelt there, on the dusty ground, facing a horde of monsters waiting to tear her apart. She felt her eyes closing from weariness and fought to keep them open. If she was going to die, she wanted to face it. Now, all she had to do was wait.

Something else happened.

A black figure appeared in front of Kairi. She could not see it clearly, her eyes failing to focus. The figure held out an arm. With a flash of light, a Keyblade appeared in the figure's hand. The same keychain Sora uses. Kairi wondered dimly what it was called then forced herself to concentrate. The figure swung the Keyblade in the same way Kairi does. Instead of light, fire exploded from in front of her, incinerating the front ranks of the horde. Kairi was taken aback by the sudden heat.

The figure swung the Keyblade back to its front. "Dance, water, dance!" A feminine voice shouted out. Kairi vaguely realized that it came from the figure wielding the Keyblade. Large globules of water descended on the creatures, wiping out both the flames and the creatures. Kairi felt some of the water splash on her face, waking her up a bit. The figure slashed the Keyblade forward. Large pillars of water shot up from the ground and towards the creatures, taking them all out.

Kairi was still on the ground, her Keyblade on the ground, expecting the darkness. The figure turned to her and Kairi noticed that the figure was wearing a black coat with a hood that shielded her face, much like a member of Organization XIII. The figure bent down and helped Kairi up, who scooped up her Keyblade from the ground and leaned against it. Her savior was the exact same height as her. "Are you okay?" She asked, definitely a girl.

"Who-" was Kairi's first word before the girl took out a bottle from inside her cloak and pressed it against Kairi's lips. "Here, drink up," She said. At Kairi's questioning look, she elaborated, "It's an elixir. It'll help with the pain." Kairi drank the orange liquid inside the bottle, tasting a medicinal minty flavor. Slowly, energy and feeling surged through her body. She stood upright, holding the Keyblade next to her. "Thanks," She said.

The hooded girl only nodded and walked past Kairi, looking at the ball of darkness. "We have to get to the island quickly. Sora should be there and he's going to need all the help he can get. C'mon," The hooded girl said. She walked towards the direction of the docks only to be stopped by Kairi's hand. "Wait!" Kairi said. The girl looked up and stared at Kairi.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Kairi said. The darkness in the hood prevented Kairi from seeing her face. She felt unnerved, facing someone whose emotions you cannot gauge. "Who are you?"

"I.." The girl hesitated before turning her back on Kairi, as if she couldn't bear to see her. "I'm a friend,"

"A friend? Then why are you wearing a cloak of the Organization's?"

"More to remember them, really." The girl said. Her voice had become more timid, less sure. She fidgeted then wrapped her arms around her. She looked more vulnerable. "They were my first family, even if I didn't know what family really was."

"Family?" Kairi said. "They destroyed worlds, torn apart lives and their own beings for power. What kind of family is that?"

The hooded girl didn't answer, only bowing her head. "I know who they are," She responded. "I was the first to know and the last to realize. Nevertheless, I wear this cloak as remembrance. Not all of the Organization was evil and twisted." The girl raised her head and looked at the ball, quivering and shaking. "That is the past, though. The present is far more important." She suddenly lost all timidness and turned to look at Kairi. "There's no time to waste. Either come with me or stay in this street with the Memoriam." The girl marched ahead, leaving Kairi behind.

"Wait!' Kairi called out. The girl stopped and inclined her head to Kairi's direction. "I'm sorry if I was rude," Kairi began, "it's just that a person suddenly appearing out of nowhere, wearing the uniform of a powerful and deadly Organization isn't someone you'd trust immediatley."

"Even if that person saved your life?"

Kairi's face grew red with that comment. "Old habits," She mumbled. The girl gave a short bark of a laugh, more like a cough. "At least let me see your face," Kairi said. "I don't know if I can really trust you if all I can see is darkness in place of a face."

The girl rubbed her arm nervously. There was a long pause. Kairi thought the girl was having a massive internal debate raging in her mind. If only she could see her face! Kairi had always thought herself to be good at reading people through their body language, even more so with their faces. Their faces were like peepholes into their minds, showing just enough to gauge what kind of person they are. Some, Sora especially, have windows where they just throw open their personalities and let others deal with it. Others, like Riku, would put on a facade and not show his insecurities until it was too late.

Of course, when obscured by large, menacing hoods, an aptitude for reading faces is largely useless. This was probably the main reason why the Organization used such large hoods. Which is kind of pointless, given that they don't experience emotions.

Finally, the hooded girl raised her hands. She grasped her hood and slowly took it off, revealing short, pixie-length black hair and a young, heart-shaped face adorned with striking yellow eyes, eyes that were filled with apprehension. Dimly, Kairi remembered seeing her at the square moments before the attack began. None of those were what struck Kairi. What hit her was the girl's uncanny resemblance to a younger Kairi. The hair, the face, it was like a snapshot of her a year ago. The only difference were her eyes, glowing a menacing amber in the gloom. Kairi drew back a gasp, trying not to cause any disrespect. She had thought, for one deranged second, that she was looking at a mirror, that the girl had a mirror for a head.

The girl turned away, obviously trying not to draw attention. "There," She said. "You've seen my face. Now can we go?" Her voice cracked for a second. Her hands found each other, fingers playing with one another. Kairi bit her mouth, struggling to say something. "A name?" slipped out of her mouth. The girl gave her an accusing look.

"One at a time, Princess," She said. Kairi was taken aback by the rather harsh tone. The girl just glared then walked of towards the docks. Sensing that Kairi wasn't folowing, she turned back and shouted, "Are you just going to stand there?" Kairi jerked back into reality and ran towards the girl. The girl took off in a sprint and Kairi followed.

She took a glance at the girl. Her face didn't betray any sign of weariness. It was set in grim determination, her mouth pursed, her eyes set only forward. Kairi was barely keeping up with her bounding steps. This girl could run from one end of Destiny Islands and back without even breaking a sweat.

_Who is this girl?_ Kairi wondered. _First she is helpful, then shy and now a total ice queen! _She hadn't met a person like that. It felt like this girl shifted personas whenever it suited her, always changing. Her determined face didn't hint to a person that smiled frequently, that is for sure. At least a name would've been forthcoming.

_Xion_

Kairi nearly stopped. Instead, she forced herself to keep running, keeping pace with the girl.

_Her name is Xion_, the voice in her head repeated. _You can trust her._

_How do you know? _Kairi asked mentally. There was no answer. _Namine? _Kairi tried again. No answer still.

"Where is Sora?" The girl, Xion, asked. Kairi pushed back confused thoughts to the back of her mind. They can wait. "He's probably on the island already."

"Then running is a waste of time," The girl suddenly stopped. Kairi skidded to a halt next to her. "What is it?" She asked.

Xion made a noise telling her to shut up and raised her right arm. A portal opened in front of them, dark and foreboding. Kairi noticed that they were already at the docks. "Why can't we just take a boat?"

"Because we're running on a time limit," Xion said. "If he gets his hands on Sora then we are all doomed."

"He?"

* * *

This wasn't what Sora was expecting.

When he had begun rowing his trusty boat (Which needed a good coat of paint), the scenario that ran through his head was that the flying creatures would attack and he could be forced to bat them away then row while they were pushed back. Then, once he got to the island, there would be some form of gigantic melee that would include hundreds of those accursed blue creatures. Next would be the whole rescuing-Riku thing followed by, hopefully, taking down the villain and restoring their home. Hopefully.

Not this.

The flying shadows barely noticed him. They kept flapping around the ball twisting over the sky, not seeing that little blip in the ocean that was Sora. He was using his Keyblade to row so that he can use it at any given opportunity. His eyes didn't leave the shadows over the air. Riku wasn't with them.

It gotten even stranger once he landed on the beach of their island. It looked like a scene from one of his old nightmares. There was the ball haging over the air, a lantern filled with darkness. The beach was deserted. The sky was dark and foreboding. It could've been that fateful day, when everything changed for the three of them. Sora glanced at the small islet. No one was there. There was also no door towards the Secret Place, just the old cave opening.

Sora walked warily towards the Secret Place. There were no shadows to be seen anywhere in the beach. This would've been the perfect time to ambush him. He was isolated and alone. Another deviation from his memory: no constant wave of enemies. No Heartless. Just these strange blue creatures hovering in the air.

Sora could remember every instance he had been in this island. Sometimes he would be with Riku, sometimes with Kairi, sometimes with both of them. This small island was the basis for much of his childhood. Everyday after school, he and Riku would race to the docks and try to outrow each other. By the end, he would be gasping for breath while Riku calmly strolled on the beach and declared himself king of the world. Kairi would appear, somehow beating them to the island and all three would collapse into laughing fits.

Since he was old enough to row a boat, Sora had always been in this island like the other children. Just haging around with Wakka or practicing with Tidus, all of them moaning how Riku was better than them all, that was a typical day in his life. Going into the Secret Place trying to open that blasted door was something every child in Destiny Islands had gone through and he and Riku kept coming back for more. Lazy days just lying on the beach, staring at the setting sun, those were his childhood. This grim, dark beach was nothing like that. Nothing at all.

_How many times can I do this? _Sora thought. _There's always a catastrophe waiting to happen. _Sora shook his head. He shouldn't thinking those kind of thoughts. This was his home. No matter how many times it gets threatened or destroyed, he would always be there to patch it up, to fix it back.

Sora walked determinedly into the Secret Place. He was struck by how much hadn't changed. The cave was still there with its cold green walls and generations upon generations of drawings, some made by Sora himself. The door was still there, imposing and formidable as ever. Sora was temtpted to take his Keyblade and strike down the door for all it had caused and what it led to. He saw a familiar drawing at the corner and bent down to look at it. It was the drawing of him and Kairi sharing the paopu fruit. He touched the drawing of Kairi, remembering their last moments together.

_I'll be okay._

"At last"

Sora felt his back tingle. The voice had echoed across the cave, rattling across the walls. He summoned his Keyblade and turned around, prepared for the worst.

A man was standing behind him. He was cloaked in blue, much like the creatures that have been plaguing Sora. He was barely taller than Sora by a few inches. A large, oppressive hood covers his head. His arms were behind him, his head inclined, preventing Sora from seeing his face. For a moment, Sora remembers his first meeting with Xehanort's Heartless. It was right here, in this same cave in similar circumstances.

He raised his head and Sora was struck by his face. Rather than the darkness he expected from people wearing hoods, the man was wearing a grey, oppressive mask. It was dull grey and burnished, looking battered and beaten. Where his eyes should be are small circles indented on the metal. There wasn't any eyeholes. Instead of a mouth, a jagged line ran through where his jaw should be, depicting not a smile or frown but a zigzag, much like stitches. The mask felt all kinds of wrong to Sora.

"The Keyblade's chosen one," The man said. His voice rumbled against the mask, causing it to sound muffled and distorted. "About time, I'd say. I expected that a great Keyblade Master such as yourself wouldn't be bogged down by lesser Silhouettes." Shivers ran up and down Sora's spine. He forced himself to steady and raised his Keyblade at the man. "Who are you?" He asked.

"Who?" The man raised a hand to his chin, or rather the chin of his mask, considering Sora's question. "That question has plagued me for most of my short life. For now, though, call me Shadou."

Shadou. Doesn't ring a bell. "What have you done to Riku?"

Shadou inclined his head, looking like he was already bored. "Oh, don't worry about Riku. I expect he's catching up with his friend from the darkness."

"What?" Sora said. "Riku doesn't have any friends in the dark!"

Shadou snickered softly, amplified by that mask. "Riku has this whole other life you don't know about. But that tale is for another day and today is about you and me." He raised a hand and pointed at Sora's Keyblade. "That Keyblade of yours, for a start. I am here to take it."

Sora swung his Keyblade into an offensive position. "And what makes you think you can just take it from me?"

"Considering that I just decimated your town and took of with your best friend, I'd say I am quite capable of doing whatever I want," He bowed to Sora mockingly and then raised an open hand. "If you would be so kind, please hand me that Keyblade,"

"You're insane!" Sora shouted. Shadou laughed again and shrugged his shoulders. "I tried to be nice."

Suddenly, gracefully, Shadou moved forward at Sora. There wasn't a clatter of feet. It was as if he had glided across the ground. Sora held the Keyblade in front of him, waiting to deflect the attack. Instead of smashing against the Keyblade, as Sora expected, Shadou grabbed the head and twisted it towards the right along with Sora's hand. "Agh!" He grunted in pain. His left hand was free but his right was still gripping at the Keyblade. Sora tried to jerk it free from Shadou's grasp but he was too strong.

Shadou looked at him, his mask almost mocking him, that deranged smile imprinting itself into Sora's mind. "Pathetic," He said. His other hand came up, curled into a fist, faster than the black lightning. The fist slammed against Sora's head, creating a large bruise on his face. Sora swayed and went slack, his vision blurred again. Shadou clutched Sora's neck and swung him towards the exit of the cave. He held on to the Keyblade, released by Sora's relaxed fingers.

Sora flew across the air and crashed into the ground. Groggily, he got up. His vision swayed and splutterd, unfocused. The punch had felt like a brick wall slamming into his face. He saw Shadou holding the Keyblade and pointing it at the door. "What are you doing?"

"Unleashing hell."

Light and stars surrounded the head of the Keyblade. Sora tried to summon it back to his hand but saw that it wouldn't budge. _How is this happening? _More light surrounded the Keyblade until a familiar beam of light shot itself from the Keyblade's point. It pierced the door as if it was water and continued forward. Sora heard something unlock inside the door. Shadou turned to him and said, "Remember when this door was open last?"Behind him, the door slowly opened.

Sora remembered. All too well.

He braced himself as best as he can, waiting for the darkness to spew out.

* * *

Kairi didn't feel the shockwaves. She did see the ball suddenly expand and contort. Xion was just about to enter the portal before looking up at the commotion.

"Oh no," She murmured. Kairi was shocked to hear the tone of hopelessness in Xion's voice. "We're too late."

"Too late for what?" Kairi asked. Xion didn't answer but instead pushed her into the darkness.

* * *

The shockwaves blew Sora from his feet. The wind spewing out of the door carried him back to the beach, much like the last time. This time, he didn't fight it. He flew with the wind, letting it carry him away, away from the door.

Sora landed in an unceremonious heap on the sand. Slowly, he got up, fearing the worst. Small pains and bruises began to ache all over his body. His head throbbed painfully, drumming against his brain. His legs felt numb from overuse. His arms dangled against his sides, weakend and exhausted. Sora had taken his body as far as it could go. It took him all of his willpower to stand up.

"Not again," He whispered. Like a scene from his old nightmares, Destiny Islands, or what's left of it, swirled around him in a large tornado. Trees, rocks, entire pieces of land were drifitng around him before ascending towards the large ball of seething energy hovering above him. It continued to expand from all it was taking in. Sora couldn't see beyond the haze of darkness surrounding the tiny piece of land he was in, the last part of Destiny islands not yet consumed.

He heard the clatter of metallic boots and saw Shadou emerge from the Secret Place. "You!" Sora shouted. Shadou inclined his head to Sora's direction and said, "Here," He threw the Keyblade on the ground, landing at Sora's feet. he picked it up and tried to raise it only for pain to suddenly shoot against his arm. He setteld for let it dangle in his fingers.

"Next time we meet, I had better hope you have improved. Your display was a let down." Sora could feel Shadou smirking behind his mask but was too tired to care. "Why are you doing this?" He growled. "What have we ever done to you?"

"Why?" Shadou snarled, all trace of playfulness gone in his hideous voice. "Why, Sora? I am only fulfilling my purpose." He placed his hand over his heart in an exagerrated fashion. "It just so happens that my purpose is to see you and everything you hold dear destroyed."

"B-But I don't even know you!" Sora said in desperation. "What did I do?"

"Exist," Shadou spat out. Sora couldn't see his face, obscured by the mask. What he did feel was an aura of menace and hate emanating from Shadou. Lightning crackled above them. The swirling wind blew the sand around them until it too was sucked up by the ball of darkness. Wind continued to rush out of the Secret Place even as the rocks surrounding it are swept away. Shadou's hands were curled into fists again and it looked like he was raring to have a go at Sora. "Then what are you waiting for?" Sora said. He thought of Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, the King and his countless friends. _If I'm going to die, it won't be kneeling on the sand. _With tremendous effort, he raised his Keyblade and pointed it at Shadou. "Try and kill me."

"Cute," Shadou said. "Don't worry, Sora, today is not the day you will die. I'd rather fight you when you are in your prime." Sora looked at him quizzically. "You're far more use to me alive. Don't let the darkness get you down!" With a final bow, white tendrils surrounded Shadou and disappeared, leaving nothing. All the effort keeping Sora standing disappeared with it and he collapsed to his knees.

"What's next?" He said. He raised his head and saw the ball of darkness. "Oh yeah," This time, he didn't fight the pull. He closed his eyes and let himself drift up into the darkness, like a feather in the swilring wind.


	4. Chapter 3: The Defence of Light

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is owned by people more talented than me.

And please review? Even flames would be good enough for me at this point.

Okay, maybe not flames but at least some feedback. Please? I have cookies! And.....some strawberry syrup.

* * *

**Kingdom Hearts: Twisted Shadows**

Chapter Three: The Defence of Light

"What's next Jiminy?"

Jiminy Cricket ran down a length of paper on the desk. "Well, Your Majesty, Chip and Dale has fixed all of the Gummi ships after the, er...._accident._ I assure you, King Mickey, Pinnochio didn't intend-"

"Don't worry about it, Jiminy." King Mickey said with a wave of his hand. "Pinnochio didn't mean any harm. Accidents happen, eh?" He smile so warmly that Jiminy had to blush in embarrassment for bringing up such a trivial matter. Jiminy flustered before returning to the paper. "Uh, Mortimer's refusing to move out of his lodgings in the West Tower. Says that you owe him one for 'exchanging names' or something like that."

"That's fine." The King said. "He's welcome to the lodgings." Jiminy marveled at the level of patience the King could display. Only yesterday, a fire had broken out in the kitchens thanks to Donald's nephews pulling a prank on Gus, the castle cook. Donald had been visiting his uncle over at Radiant Garden and the King just happened to be visiting the kitchens at the time, leaving him to clean up the mess. Jiminy thought the King would go ballistic. Instead, the King calmly cleaned up the mess and gave the trio a small reprimand and some ice cream. Mickey had said later that it was better to be a friend than a dictator.

Disney Castle didn't function like most castles Jiminy had read about. For one thing, the only populace it actually governs is a small village in its outskirts which provides enough for the castle's population. The world the castle inhabits could very well be the smallest Jiminy has ever seen and, thanks to Sora and his adventures, he's been to a fair few. The only notable landmark was the castle itself. Outside of the village was just green fields. He had walked for two hours in one direction only to end up back in the castle.

The castle itself was the oddest thing in the little world. It wasn't the oldest structure but it was definitely the most confusing. The original inhabitants, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and the rest, weren't the ones who designed or actually built the castle. A man had randomly appeared in the field of the intended castle and declared that he was going to design it himself, despite no one having told him that a castle was being built. The locals didn't argue. They didn't have much experience when it comes to castle-building themselves. After the castle was finished though, he promptly left, leaving no blueprints or traces of his existence. King Mickey then spent a week trying to create a proper map of the place with the help of over a dozen people.

Right now, he and the King were in the castle library. In this depository were hundreds and hundreds of books that King Mickey had collected from many different worlds. Before the barriers of the world broke, all that was in here were picture books, photo albums and twenty more portraits of Mickey's ancestors, most of them thankfully relegated back into to the King, there were now dozens upon dozens of records of every conceivable subject in any world that the King had visited, from a copy of The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism by Jackie Mouse (Who bore an unfortunate resemblance to Mickey) to the memoirs of Marquis Halim Ondore IV. Jiminy was itching to get through them all.

Another day was about to wrap up. The sun outside was setting, casting lazy beams into the room. Jiminy was feeling rather sleepy. The last month had been a whirlwind of activity. With the King now back, everyone was trying to restore the castle back yo normal routine. His eyes began to close before he shook his head, clearing away the fatigue. Mickey noticed it and said, "Hey, Jiminy, why don't you get some rest? I can handle all of these tiny details by myself. You've done more than enough."

"Are you sure?" Jiminy asked. "I could start re-cataloguing those new files from SHINRA or fix those bugs in the journal-" Mickey lifted a hand, signaling for Jiminy to stop. "Look, you've done enough, Jiminy. In fact, we're actually ahead of schedule thanks to you. I tell ya, back then, this place was a mess. If you weren't around to help out, I wouldn't have known what to do." Jiminy opened his mouth to argue only to be silenced by a glare from the King. "Go home. Get some rest. I'm sure Gepetto and Pinnochio miss having you around."

"Will you be alright, sir?" Jiminy said. Queen Minnie had warned him that Mickey didn't have much of a clue when it comes to the finer details of running a kingdom, even one as small as this. Mickey lazily waved the question away. "Aw c'mon. How hard can," he took a glance at the sheet of paper. "rewriting tax reforms be?" He gave Jiminy a nervous shrug. "Easy as pie that!" he exclaimed somewhat unconvincingly. "I'm serious, now. Go on, get some rest."

"Thanks, Your Majesty," Jiminy responded. He hopped off the table and exited the room. In truth, he had been feeling very tired. Everyday had brought endless lists of stuff that had been left alone since the King's abscence. Even with Queen Minnie around, there were certain jobs that only the King could do. Jiminy had been spending less and less time in his bed. Perhaps he should remedy that now.

Jiminy lived with his ward Pinocchio and Pinocchio's father and maker, Gepetto. Before, they had lived in a different world until it was destroyed by the Heartless. Jiminy was separated from them and ended up in Disney Castle. That was how Queen Minnie appointed him as Donald and Goofy's chronicler, recording the events of their mission. Jiminy had accepted to get a chance of finding Pinocchio and Geppeto again. What he didn't anticipate was where the mission would take him and what worlds he would see. Jiminy thought himself lucky to be in the heart of an epic adventure and bear witness to it, not to mention meeting people like Sora and his friends.

Now, though, the adventure is over. All of Jiminy's journals were now part of the castle library to be archived and put into historical records. Jiminy's notes on every character they had met, even the types of Heartless and Nobodies encountered, were to be collated into one work that the King says would help future generations. The threat to the light has been vanquished for now. Time to rest.

Jiminy walked along the collonade and saw his two old friends Donald and Goofy in the opposite direction. Donald was looking fit to burst. "Look dummy! I can't just conjure rabbits from nowhere! I'm not that kind of magician!"

"Aw, then what kind of magician are you then?" Goofy said. Even when sounding annoyed, Goofy still sounded as laidback as ever. He walked with ease while Donald twitched with anger. "I don't know any magician who can't make bunnies appear. Hiya Jiminy!" He greeted, marching up to Jiminy and leaving Donald behind.

"Hey Goofy, Donald." Jiminy responded. "Same old argument, huh?"

"Everyday!" Donald fumed. "I am the Royal Magician, not a street performer! I don't even know how to make rabbits appear! It's not even a useful trick!" Jiminy shook his head in wonder. It seemed that everyday, some little thing would set off Donald Duck into one of his rages. Two days ago, his nephews had stolen his staff and covered his room with ink. Donald's rather volcanic reaction could've been heard from miles. Most of the time, Donald was sweet if somewhat dimwitted. It just took so little to set him off.

Goofy gave Jiminy a knowing look and winked as if Jiminy hadn't figured it out already. Jiminy just rolled his eyes. "Now now boys, let's not make this a tradition. Play nice."

"It's him who's the annoying one!" Donald raged. Well, that was what Jiminy thought he said. Donald launched into another unintelligible tirade, his voice reduced to squawking. Jiminy had to stop himself from smiling. Goofy was doing no such thing and was openly chuckling. Of course, this only caused Donald to get even more angry. He pulled out his staff and, with a yell, charged at Goofy who was still laughing even as he ran.

Jiminy watched the retreating two in amusement. This world never ceases to make him smile.

* * *

The Hall of the Cornerstone was the castle's most important room. It was, in fact, the first one created, serving as the foundations of the entire castle. It was built before the arrival of that childish architect and therefore not subject to his more outlandish ticks. It was a large, simple room with no additional flourishes, no fancy structures. At the center of the room was the Cornerstone of Light itself. A bright light encased in transparent glass, the Cornerstone was a beacon, a mystery that had drawn together a small community and protected them from the darkness.

Queen Minnie always came to the chamber at the end of the day. After sifting through the endless paperwork and mundane details that come with running a kingdom, she would come here alone and just stare at the light coming from the sphere. Whenever she looked at the Cornerstone, Minnie felt a natural sort of calm, that everything was right with the world.

For the past year or so, she had been spending more time here in this room than anywhere else in the castle. With King Mickey missing and two of his most able men looking for him, the burden of running the castle and, most importantly, protecting the Cornerstone fell on her, the Queen. The endless nights and tiresome days would prove too much from time to time and she would retire here, content to just look at the Cornerstone with no one else but her thoughts.

Right now, Minnie was standing right in front of the Cornerstone, her eyes fixed at that globe of light. Only in the past week or two did she really feel that things were going back to normal. Mickey was back which was an immense relief. Minnie hadn't felt anxiety like the kind she had over the past year since the war began, when he was just an apprentice to Master Yen Sid. Vague messages would reach her every now and then but they did little to ease her worry.

With the absence of the King, the Heartless were becoming more and more brazen with their attacks. Any source of great light was a threat to them so the Heartless instinctively try to snuff it out. This has made Disney Castle and the surrounding village a a target for the weaker, less intelligent Heartless. The Cornerstone held them all at bay but at times Minnie wasn't so sure. Her fears were nearly confirmed when the Cornerstone itself was threatened. If it wasn't for Donald and Goofy's timely arrival with the Keyblade hero, Sora, the whole world would've been engulfed in darkness.

The King was now back, though. His mere presence alone was able to pacify the Heartless, no doubt because of their fear of the Keyblade. Queen Minnie could finally put her fears away and rest. All those days of worrying are finally over.

Her reverie was broken by the sound of footsteps behind her. She blinked and turned around, seeing no one. She took a few steps forward. "Hello?" Sh asked. "Is someone there?"

"Amazing," A cold, rasping voice answered behind her yet again. Minnie gasped and turned around to find a man looking at the Cornerstone of Light, his back towards Minnie. He was wearing a blue cloak and a hood that covered his head. "Who are you?" She asked.

"Simply amazing," the man repeated, ignoring Minnie. His voice was distorted, muffled, echoing against rusty metal. Minnie tried to suppress the shivers that ran through her body. "How arrogant of the light to notice only the darkness and disregard those who are cast away by both light and darkness." The man raised his hand and touched the Cornerstone reverently. "What do you think you're doing?" Minnie said cautiously.

The man let out a derisive snort. "I am a conduit for the dark, unnoticed by light due to my non-existence." Black arcs of electricity suddenly appeared around his hand. They jumped from his fingers towards the Cornerstone. "And thus, darkness can invade the light." The light inside the Cornerstone grew dimmer and dimmer. "Stop that!" Minnie cried out. She ran towards the man only for his leg to come up and kick her, sending her flying across the room.

"Ugh!" Minnie felt all the strength go out of her small body as she lay on the floor. All she could see was the light of the Cornerstone slowly fading away. The cheery brightness of the room was disappearing, replaced by darkness. Soon, she was unable to see anything. Minnie tried to get up only to find a rough hand descend on her. "Aah!" She cried out in pain.

She could hear the man's heavy breathing close to her head. "My friends will be coming soon. I suggest you tell your King to evacuate this world because they will not spare anyone." The pressure on her neck eased and finally disappeared as the man let go. Minnie could hear her breath slowly coming back in short gasps. She heard the man's footsteps echo away from her before completely disappearing.

"Queen Minnie?" A familiar voice called out. A shaft of light shot out behind her. In front of her, Minnie could see the empty glass sphere that had once been the Cornerstone of Light. "Minnie!" The voice called out again.

"Daisy?" Minnie responded. Quick footsteps echoed again in the hall and Daisy was upon her. "Oh no.....Minnie, what happened?" She grabbed Minnie's arm and raised her to a standing position. Daisy looked at her then noticed the Cornerstone. "Wait, what happened to the Cornerstone? Minnie?"

"Summon the King. Donald and Goofy too." Minnie intoned wearily. "Get all the advisers into the throne room quickly." That was the last she said before the world turned to black and she collapsed.

* * *

The atmosphere in the throne room was dismal and foreboding. It was a complete contrats to the cheery architecture that shaped the room. Jiminy was especially annoyed by the rather long length that he had to jog to get from the entrance to the throne itself. When he got there, he saw all of Disney Castle's hierarchy gathered around a forlorn King Mickey sitting on his throne. was struck by this rather odd image. King Mickey seldom sat on his throne, claiming it was 'idiotically uncomfortable."

It was the first time Jiminy had seen all of these people in the same room. Nothing happened in Disney castle that necessitated all of its high-ranking personnel to attend to it. Mostly, Jiminy would see individual people here and there but not at the same place. Donald and Goofy flanked Mickey's throne, their expressions grim. Goofy's face showed flickers of fear. They nodded to Jiminy as he took his place on the throne's arm rest. All of the others were lined along the carpet leading towards the throne. Jiminy saw Gyro Gearloose and Dr. Ludwig Von drake conferring silently, Drake making grand gestures with his hands. Chip and Dale were looking at a map Dale was holding up. Daisy was just standing silently next to Donald, her mind on other things.

"Good, Jiminy's here." King Mickey said once Jiminy settled on the arm rest. "Now we can begin."

"Where's the Queen?" Chip asked. King Mickey let out a deep sigh upon hearing her name.

"She......she was attacked a half hour ago down at the Hall of the Cornerstone." King Mickey started. "A man somehow managed to bypass the Cornerstone and drain it of its power, that you all know. Minnie just happened to be there. She's in bed, resting from the...encounter." For a moment, Mickey faltered. Jiminy felt unease at the sight. He hadn't seen the King so vulnerable before. He sensed that Mickey would rather be with Minnie right now instead of here discussing what happened. Mickey willed himself together and continued.

"Right now, the barriers that protect this world are slowly eroding. I strengthened the barriers when I returned so the Heartless hasn't been able to break in since the last time. Without the Cornerstone, though, there's nothing holding up those barriers. From what Dr. Von Drake has told me, Heartless are amassing at the world's borders. We have about an hour before they break through."

Ignoring some of the gasps from the less-informed members in the room, Mickey continued. "The Royal Knights have already begun evacuating the townspeople down towards the gummi ships. I'll need each and every one of you to help delay the Heartless long enough for all of the gummi ships to escape."

"Why can't we just defeat the Heartless?" Dale asked. "We've done that before."

Mickey shook his head. "I'm afraid without the Cornerstone, we'll just be wasting our time. There's too many of them. This world will be lost to the Heartless" The atmosphere grew even more depressing as everyone bowed their heads, thinking of the coming events. All of the room's inhabitants began to consider the ramifications of the King's words.

Jiminy had heard of Disney Castle, back when he was just living with Pinnochio in their own world. The legends had described it as an unassailable bastion of light, standing tall against the powers of the dark. Nothing could penetrate it. Not even in the dark days of the Keyblade War, when any foolhardy individual could attain a copy of that formidable weapon, was the castle in any danger. Jiminy's world wasn't dragged into the War but he had read enough records in the castle to know how nearly all worlds were plunged into chaos by so many misguided souls. Even then, the castle had stood firm, thanks mostly to the King.

Before, Jiminy would have attributed the castle's strength to its tenacious King. Once he saw the Cornerstone of Light with his own eyes though, he felt calmness take over his heart. With something that radiated so much light, so much innate goodness, there was no way the offspring of the dark would be able to penetrate such a barrier. The Cornerstone of Light was an enigma, a piece of glass that just happened to contain centuries worth of light. Whoever created it didn't matter to the inhabitants of that tiny world. What matters is that it kept them safe from the dangers lurking in the dark. With the Cornerstone still filled with light, nothing could possibly happen to the castle.

_Well_, Jiminy thought bitterly, _Now we can test that little theory._

Somehow, the impossible happened. A man managed to enter the Hall of the Cornerstone, get ahold of the Cornerstone without suffering any repercussions and drain it of all its power. Disney castle's safeguards all hinged on the Cornerstone. Without it, the castle was nothing more than a gigantic showpiece.

The Unbreakable Castle, the Bastion of Light was about to be destroyed. Utterly and inexonerably.

"Look guys," Jiminy was jerked out of his reverie by King Mickey's voice, which has somehow gained back its strength. "Don't be glum. Sure, we'll be losing our first and only home to the dark and we might not be able to get it back but that doesn't mean we should lose hope." All of the people in attendance shot him incredulous looks. In response, Mickey gave them a smile, something that somewhat shocked them. "We shouldn't lose hope! If we give up now, that means they've won already! C'mon guys, perk up!"

Whether it was by force or just the sight of King Mickey smiling so jovially, as if he never pronounced the world's death sentence only five minutes ago, all of the tension snapped and the people in the room began to smile, though they were still cautious. "That's the spirits guys! Now, we've got work to do. Gyro, get down to the gummi hangars and supervise the evacuation."

"Aye aye, Your Majesty!" Gyro responded enthusiastically. He turned and ran towards the exit.

"Doctor," Mickey continued, turning to Von Drake. "Outfit each of us with that walking-talking thing you invented last week. We need to be in contact with each other at all times."

"What?" The doctor squawked. "But all of those are prototypes! What if you lose them all? I'd have to start from scratch-" Catching Mickey's pointed stare, Von Drake quickly stopped his rant. "I'll go get them now." he said glumly and exited the room just behind Gyro.

Mickey turned to his right and said, "Goofy, once the Royal Knights are finished evacuating, I want you to round them up and post them into their wartime positions. You'll be manning the wall."

"Wartime postions?" Goofy said. "Gawrsh, I don't know if I can remember that far."

"I know what they are," Jiminy responded. "Found them while cleaning the library two days ago. I'll help you set up the defenses, Goofy."

"That's settled then." Mickey concluded. "Donald, head to the tallest tower. You'll have a clear view of the grounds and the castle from there. Use long range magic to help out."

"You got it!" Donald said.

Mickey leaned down at the two chipmunks on the floor. "Chip, Dale, head for Von Drake's lab and man the Soliton Radar. You can keep track of the people in the castle and be able to give us coordinates as to where the enemy is."

The two chipmunks stood erect and saluted the King. "Yes sir!"

Mickey finally turned to Daisy. "Take Minnie to the first gummi ship. Get them out quickly. If I don't make it, tell her......tell her I'm sorry."

"What?" Daisy said, alarmed. "Why can't you tell her yourself? What are you going to do?"

Mickey hopped off the throne. For a split-second, Jiminy saw a surge of power go through the King. He saw a side of the King that he would never have guessed he had. All he saw was the benevolent king, the kind and helpful friend. Now he saw exactly why he can wield a Keyblade. He saw a warrior.

"I'll be at the frontlines," Mickey said. "Where I'll be needed the most."

* * *

Goofy felt a tad nervous.

Of course he had been nervous before. Being Captain of the Royal Knights, he had been in tough situations before, not to mention facing the Heartless and Nobodies with Sora and Donald. That was a kind of nervous that he was used to, the kind that kept you on your toes in the battlefield, the kind that wants to keep you living.

This kind was nauseating. This kind wanted him to run out of the castle and face the Heartless instead. Leading the Royal Knights was one thing but _commanding _them? Back during the war, there weren't any Royal Knights. They had to make do with impromtu militias, some formed in the heat of battle. The Royal Knights were made out of those militias. Goofy hadn't needed to actually give orders and do the things a Captain would do, thanks to 10 years of relative peace.

Now though, he was expected to walk into a large meeting room filled with all of the members of the Knights and lay out the battle plan in front of them. He and Jiminy had spent the last ten minutes piecing out the old wartime strategies from some of the records in the library. Apparently, some guy named Redeker had come up with these plans while he was holed up inside the castle. They managed to make a coherent plan out of Redeker's somewhat rambling notes. Now, all Goofy has to do was present them to the Knights.

_C'mon, you goof, _Goofy thought anxiously. _Remember when you had go out and meet Max's girlfriend? Or all those fights against the Heartless with Sora and Donald? This is nothing compared to those! You can do this! You can do this!_

Goofy put on a brave face and marched into the room, his back straight as a ruler. "Atten-hut!" A voice called out and all of the people milling about suddenly stood to never liked it when they did that.

These men were the members of the Royal Knights, soldiers of Disney Castle. They didn't have much in way of protective clothing. they were mostly dressed like Goofy, only one arm full armored. This was so that they would be able to move better. He walked towards the front of the room, where a podium has been set up. Maps of the castle were pinned to the wall behind the podium.

"Er...at ease, gentlemen!" Goofy called out. The Knights loosened their stance slightly. Goofy was amazed by the rigidity that the Knights held. Is that what they've been doing for the last ten years? Practising their posing?

"Okay," Goofy started. "As you know, the Cornerstone of Light has faded. Heartless are converging at the world's borders and are eating their way through the barriers. In about twenty minutes, they will be able to assault the castle." None of the Knights stirred. Goofy silently admired their bravado. What was he doing commanding a group like them? "The King wants us to delay the invasion long enough for all of the gummi ships containing the refugees to escape."

"Sir?" One of the guards raised his hand. Goofy pointed to him. "Yeah?"

"Why can't they take off now?"

"Some sort of repair problems. You remember yesterday's explosions?" All of them nodded their heads, remembering all too vividly that rather hideous explosion from the hangars. "Yeah, they're still trying to sort that out. So we have to hold back the Heartless until all ships have got out."

"You will split into two squadrons, Alpha and Omega, furthermore split into four platoons." Goofy gestured to the blue map behind him. the wall surrounding the castle had eight marks, four red and four gold. "Alpha takes the red while Omega takes the gold." Goofy sighed and continued. "I'll be leading Alpha. The King will be taking Omega."

"Assigned platoon leaders will be getting thos communicating thingies Prof Drake whipped up." Goofy said. "We'll be in constant contact with each other. Remember, our priority is to keep the Heartless at bay long enough. No need for stupid risks."

Some of the Knights began to shift uncomfortably. A few murmurs sailed across the room. Goofy noticed this and said. "Aw, c'mon guys, don't give up hope! Sure, things look grim and not all of us might make it alive but that doesn't mean we should lose hope! Who knows, maybe all of us might make it! Maybe the Heartless would back down once they see how organised we are! Who knows what would happen?"

The Knights gave each other quizzical looks. Goofy didn't notice. He was being taken in by his own rhetoric. "Men, remember that each and everyone of you is a member of the Royal Knights, one of the toughest and organised......organizations in this world or any other. By golly, I've been your Captain for the last ten years and I do not intend for the first military operation to happen under command to fail. You hear me?"

There was a complete and utter silence. Goofy continued. "Remember who we are fighting for, men. Remember the inhabitants of this world. Remember your families, friends, neighbours, loves who are counting on us to make sure that we keep the darkness at bay! Isn't that the motto of the Royal Knights? _Forever a Bastion of the Light!_"

Goofy was practically hollering now, lost in his speech. "We will not give in the the Heartless, you hear me? We will be steadfast! We will do our duty as Royal Knights to protect this castle and its people from any danger! Men, I expect each and every one of you to do your job to the absolute best ability that you can achieve! Is that clear?"

"YES SIR!" was the thunderous reply. Goofy was nearly blown back by such a loud response. "Alright then," He said. "Fall out. Extra orders will be coming in as soon as possible. man your positions."With military decorum, the Royal Knights marched out in single lines, their backs completely rigid, their faces silent but determined.

Goofy waited before all of them were out of the room then collapsed to the ground. His face was shiny with sweat. _That wasn't so bad._

_

* * *

_The highest tower in Disney Castle served no real purpose, just like all of the towers in the castle. It was just really, really high.

This was also Donald's favourite spot. Just the calm and the fact that it was isolated appealed to him, away from the madness and the absolute anarchy that filled the castle. The tower also afforded him ain incredible view of the catsle, the surrounding village and all of the fields. Somehow it calmed him.

Now though, the sight was different.

The once blue sky was now an inky black, creating an atmosphere of dread and doom. It obscured the rest of the world so that Donald could only see the village and the castle. The village, once teeming with life, was now deserted. Donald was both relieved and depressed by this. If all of the villagers are gone, that means they must be down at the hangars, about to leave. If it wasn't for his blasted nephews tricking that poor boy, all of them would've been gone by now.

Not that he was scared of the Heartless. He had faced them too many times to let his fears overtake him.

Donald looked down at the catsle battlements. The Royal Knights were forming lines around the walls. He could see Goofy marching in front of them, waving his shield while making grand gestures. That was odd. Goofy always complained that he wasn't suited to the position of Captsain. The Knights scared him, being heavily disciplined and completely regimented. Now, Donald could see his old friend slowly warming up to his role. Good. they're going to need that.

Donald stepped away from the edge of the tower and took a look behind him. A table was there, placed by him only a few minutes ago. On top of the table were five Ethers and a plastic box. This was what Von Drake called a 'two-way radio'. Donald didn't know what a radio was or how it worked but he thanked Von Drake fervently for making the buttons big and obvious. He was a magician and therefore not obliged to really know all about this scientific stuff.

"Zzzzzzt....Donald?" The radio suddenly squawked. "What?" Donald shouted, startled.

"Donald, can ya hear me?" Mickey's voice came out of the radios speakers. Gently, Donald approached the radio. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Aw, don't be such a wuss, Donald!' Mickey responded. "You'll get used to it."

"But your voice is coming out of a box!" Donald whined. "It's completely preposterous!"

"Donald, you can summon lightning out of a stick. You've battled darkness incarnate." Mickey's sardonic tone just made Donald feel worse. "Out of all the many things out there in the worlds, you're questioning _this_?"

Donald's face grew red. Thank goodness the King wasn't physically there. That would've been ten times worse. "Okay, I get." Donald finally said. "It just takes a while to get used to."

"Well, don't freeze up there, buddy," Mickey said. "We're gonna need all the firepower we can get."

Donald smirked at those words. He hasn't used advanced magicks in a while. He drew out his trusty mage's staff. This should be fun. "Oh, don't worry about that, Mickey."

* * *

It wasn't an army in the regular sense.

It wasn't organized. It didn't have any obvious leaders. There was no collective thought. Just pure instinct.

This wasn't an army.

It was a horde.

King Mickey had travelled into and beyond the darkness, saw how it corrupted people, compelled the good-natured to do terrible things. The darkness was like a malignant sickness, promising glory and power while cruelly eroding your soul. Every once in a while, he would meet someone who had not succumb, who managed to control the darkness within them. Someone like Riku.

But people like that were rare. And the darkness was powerful.

Mickey was at the top of the castle gate, at the gatehouse. The portcullis had been closed for the first time in ten years. Rust had creeped over it during the long, lonely years of misuse. It was still covered by notches and blade marks, relics of battles in the past. Mickey tried not to think about them. There was a new battle ahead.

The Heartless below him were unnaturally still. They were varied, not just the pureblood Shadows but Soldiers, Knights, Air Soldiers and others. Thankfully there were no Darksides. That would've made this battle infinitely more difficult.

Behind him, the Royal Knights stood to attention, ready and patient as a mountain and Mickey's heart went to them. There were two spare gummi ships left for their retreat. Mickey knew that they can't afford to fight to the last man. Someone had to carry on, to keep the flame alive. Hopefully, everyone will make it back.

He eyed the Heartless carefully. The entire horde surrounded the castle, blocking any exit they could use. Mickey could see no end to their numbers. They stretched across the landscape, a huge swathe of black nightmares, waiting for a sign to attack, to swarm. Mickey tried to estimate how much Heartless could be there. They could be thousands, they could be millions. There would be no end to this.

How could so many Heartless end up in one place? Mickey knew how much power you had to have just to be able to command them and get their attention. And most of the time, you could only summon either a large amount of weak enemies or one particularly strong Heartless. Maleficent had been one of the few Mickey had met who could do both at the same time, though how much of it was her own volition or the work of Xehanort's Heartless was unknown.

It must be the Cornerstone. With such a powerful threat gone, every Heartless that could make it throughout the worlds would come here and finish off the world it had spawned.

Mickey narrowed his eyes, taking in every detail of the enemies they would have to fight. Then he spotted something. A multi colored blob was making it's way through the throng of Heartless. It appeared to be kicking them out of its way. _Nah, _Mickey thought. _Can't be._

Then he heard that loud, obnoxious, familiar voice.

"Outa my way, you gobs! Make a path! Or do ya want to go back into the dark? Huh? I'll send you mugs back there if you don't show some respect!"

Every once in a while, Mickey would feel guilty about locking Pete up in another dimension. Since Pete wasn't really a threatening villain, Mickey would think that the punishment was a bit too harsh, especially for someone as seemingly harmless as Pete. He was the kind of person that only the desperate or the stupid would trust. Mickey had actually felt a bit of sympathy for Maleficent, seeing how she was now paired with Pete.

Soon, those guilty feelings would overwhelm Mickey and he would go to the dimension where Pete was locked up. Upon meeting him though, any guilt Mickey hadover locking him away quickly vanishes, thanks to Pete's overbearing personality and his self-obssessed world view that he is the greatest. He had always been like this, even back when he was captain of that steamboat. These negative traits were only magnified once he decided that he was evil and started creating havoc in Disney Castle, calling himself the 'Mighty' Pete. True, he was more of a nuisance than an actual threat but Mickey felt olbligated to send him away before anyone in the castle lost their sanity.

"Hey there, Mouse-King!" Pete yelled, finally reaching the entrance of the castle. "Ya hear me up there?"

"What is it, Pete?" Mickey said.

Pete spread his arms and gestured around him. "Take a look at this army! You mugs have no chance against all this firepower! Why don't you just mosey down there and open the doors for us? Makes things easier. Why, we might even spare some of you!"

"Is that a fact?" Mickey answered coldly.

Pete's malicious grin turned into a frown. "Now that ya mention it, Maleficent did say to spare no-one. I was just, y'know, trying to be polite. Plus that creepy guy in the cloak personally wanted everyone of yous dead. Especially the duck and the dog" Pete looked quite pleased at the thought.

"Wait!" Mickey called out. "What creepy guy?"

"Oh, him. He's been helping us out, getting into the castle and draining the Corner-" Pete stopped once he realized what he was doing. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? If you think it's gonna be easy, messin' with my mind then you've got another thing coming!" Pete pointed at the castle and gates and gave one loud bellow, "CHARGE!"

The battle had begun.

Immediately, the Heartless followed his command, running towards the castle walls. Mickey had been expecting this and shouted to an headphone in his ear, "Donald! Reflect spell around the castle!"

"You got it!" Donald responded. A large clear shell of magic covered the castle, throwing back the first wave of Heartless. The ones behind it paid no attention and crawled over their fallen comrades. Mickey saw the Heartless pile against the walls, not bothering to climb. He could see why.

The pile of Heartless squirming next to the wall slowly rose. Mickey realized that the Heartless were creating pyramid for the others behind them to climb. All of the Heartless that reached the top of the pyramid laid still, creating another layer for the next bacth to reach. Soon, they will be able to reach the walls.

"Donald, you okay for one more major spell?" A slightly-winded voice answered, "Yeah sure."

"Good," Mickey said. "Can you cast a Quake spell around the castle perimeters?"

"Just a sec." A few seconds later, Mickey could feel a rumbling coming from the ground and saw the Heartless pyramid collapse into a heap. The Heartless behind didn't seem to notice, crawling and climbing over their brethren just like before. Mickey saw this and cursed.

Donald's voice crackled into his ear. "I can see flying Heartless going towards your direction, Your Majesty."

"Yeah, I see them." With a flash, the Keyblade teleported into his hand. Mickey raised it above his head and shouted, "Light! Give me power!' An orb of light shot out of the Keyblade and struck multiple flying shadows. More shadows fell as lightning strikes blasted them off the sky. Mickey could hear demented cackling coming from Donald's end and mentally made a note to check up on him after this was all finished.

"Get ready, boys!" Mickey called out behind him. In one fluid motion, the Knights unsheated their swords and held them upfront, their faces grim and ready. Mickey shot out a few more orbs of energy at the remaining flying Heartless and then shouted, "Now!"

Mickey somersaulted backwards, behind the Knights as they charged forward, their swords in motion for one simultaneous swipe, taking out the first wave of Heartless climbing over the wall. They continued this motion, each taking out a Heartless with each swipe. More and more Heartless crawled over the wall and each were destroyed by a Knight. Mickey pressed a button on the headphone and said, "Goofy, you okay?"

"Sittin' pretty, Your Majesty!" Goofy's garbled voice answered. Mickey heard several _thwacks!_ from Goofy's end and put it away from his mind. "Hey, this is almost too easy!"

"Don't jinx it!' Mickey replied. He couldn't help himself and smiled. A buzz of static obscured Goofy's reply and Dale's enthusiastic voice chimed in. "Your Majesty, first gummi ship is away! Only three more to go!"

"That's a start." Mickey said. In front of him, the line of Knights continued to take out the climbing Heartless. Behind them, three Soldier Heartless suddenly teleported and readied to strike. "Oh no you don't!" Mickey charged forward and swung the Keyblade in one stroke. The Heartless were destroyed, dissolving into the darkness. The Knights paid no attention and continued with their systematic chopping.

Mickey knew that they wouldn't throw all of their big guns into the battle so quickly. He tried to estimate the enemy's battle plan. Send in wave after wave of pawns, weak enemies in an effort to weaken them up. Mickey smirked at the thought. Part of the training to be a Royal Knight was to endure long, siegelike conditions with limited resources and constant attack. It was a holdover from the war. The castle had endured long sieges before and Mickey wanted to make sure that, if it happened again, they would be prepared. Everyone had thought he was paranoid. Coincidentally, most of the complainers were new recruits into the Royal Knights.

Another burst of static shot into his ear. "Sir! Heartless are pouring into the gap between the platoons!"

"I'm on it," Mickey replied and ran along the wall, Keyblade held aloft.

* * *

Pete was in a giddy mood.

He stood on top of a deserted house, on the roof, marvelling the attack on the castle. he could see those pathetic Knights on top of the wall, slashing and destroying Heartless. Like that matters. For every Heartless they destroyed, ten more were spawned. Below him, on the streets, a never-ending wave of Heartless ran towards the wall, replacing fallen comrades. Those Knights were only delaying the inevitable.

Pete felt like laughing.

He had to admit: it was a pretty sight. The castle stood alone, an ugly shock of white against a glorious black background. Desperate defenders valiantly staving off an inevitable defeat. All of the lights were opened, as if in defiance of the invasion. It created an apocalyptic feel to the whole scene. It was a scene from one of his most fervent dreams. The Bastion of Light, fallen to the superior power of darkness. Unlike his other fervent dreams, this one was actually coming true.

Pete felt like bellowing his happiness to the doomed world.

How he wished he was there, to see that puny mouse's feeble attempts to stave of the Heartless. He would've laughed so hard to finally see that uppity, pompous jerk of a king shown how pitiful he really was. How weak and insignificant the light that he treasured so much was compared to the incredible power of the dark. He had attempted to show them the way, that he was being an idot by backing the wrong horse only to be humiliated and cast off into another dimension. Was it because he was weak?

Nah, can't be.

If only he could replay this memory again and again, then he would be happy.

"That can be arranged."

"Wha?" Pete cried out, jumping at the sound of the voice. Beside him, white tendrils shot out of the roof floor and formed a coccoon. The coccoon broke away, revealing a hooded, masked man. He turned to Pete and said, "If it would please you, you can experience this memory forever."

"Er...no thanks." Pete replied. The man gave a snort and crossed his arms, looking at the besieged castle. "Suit yourself,"

Pete had nearly forgotten about him. This person was solely responsible for getting them into this position. Of course he'd be here to see the results. "Pardon me for asking but where's Maleficent?" Pete asked nervously.

"She's busy," The man replied in that grating, uncomfortable voice of his. He inclined his head to Pete's general direction. "Don't concern yourself about her. I doubt she'll be doing the same."

"Wait a minute!" Pete yelled back. His bravado, having wilted upon that man's arrival, returned in full force. "Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? I am the coomander of this entire Heartless army!" He waved his arms around in one sweeping gesture. "With one command, I could have them tearing you apart, limb from limb! How would ya like that?"

The man didn't answer. For a moment, Pete thought he had won. That'll show him! What kind of punk does he think he is, talking to him, Pete, like that! He didn't even seem that old. The man wasn't that tall, only a few inches taller than that brat with the keyblade. How could he have intimidated Pete?

Then the man's head turned towards Pete and simply gazed at him. "I'd like to see you try." The man whispered. The mask's warped smile seemed to be mocking Pete, daring him to actually do the deed he had boasted before. The man opened up his arms. Go on then. Try me." If it wasn't for that mask, Pete would be able to see if that man was smiling or not, see if he was bluffing.

Suddenly, Pete's confidence plummetted to a low level. This had happened before, usually when he's in the losing end of a fight but this time was different. The man radiated a certain aura he had only felt twice before, the others on Maleficent and those Organization XIII freaks. That aura was an unshakeable confidence in him or herself. It was more than pure confidence, though. It was a complete and utter belief in their indestructibility, that the universe would never allow them to lose. It was a disquieting feeling and Pete didn't like it one bit.

The man lowered his arms and sighed deeply. "You're not as stupid as you made yourself out to be." He turned back to the siege, ignoring Pete, who backed away from him.

"Er.." Pete tried to think of something to deflect from his humiliation. "Why aren't you helping?"

"Why aren't you?"

Damn! This guy was starting to get on his nerves. All this heavy speeches and arrogance was annoying Pete. Who was he anyway?

"Who are you, anyway?" Pete said.

"Me?" The man said quizzically. "I'm a bad memory brought to life. A twisted shadow, if it would please you. If you insist in giving me a name, then call me Shadou."

Shadou. Even the name reeked of pretentiousness. Pete tried a different tack on him, seeing as how this conversation was going against him. "Well then, Shadou, what do you think? Pretty impressive how this siege is going, eh?"

"It won't matter." Shadou replied. "Three gummi ships loaded with refugees have already left this world and are on their way to Radiant Garden. The last three will be gone in the next ten minutes or so."

"What?" Pete yelled, confused. "How do you know that?"

"If you actually stop gloating to pay attention, _commander,_ maybe you'll be able to pay attention." The sardonic tone in Shadou's voice only made Pete feel even worse than before, if that was even possible. "Your Heartless ships posted around this world have reported them leaving for the past twenty minutes or so."

"B-B-B-But.." Pete was stammering. Not a good sign. "But why didn't they shoot them down?"

Shadou shrugged. "You didn't tell them."

"Why didn't you tell them?"

"Because I'm not the commander? Maleficent ordered the Heartless to follow only you and your commands. There was nothing I could do." Pete stared at him, flabbergasted. He could only take so more of this before he could explode. He considered socking this punk right in the middle of that stupid mask. Any fear he had felt over Shadou was now gone. Time to show him who's boss!

"Alright, you mug, you've disrespected me for the last time! I'm Pete, ya see and nobody mocks me like that!" He wrenched his right arm backwards and let loose one mighty punch. Shadou merely sidestepped it, letting Pete fall into the ground below.

"OW!" Pete cried out. The stream of Heartless that covered the street trampled over Pete. "Ow Ow Ow OW OW!" Pete's screams of pain were barely heard in the din of the Heartless still charging towards the castle. All he could see was dark bodies and feel unrelenting pain.

A rough hand grabbed Pete by the shoulder and pulled him up. "Sora was right. You really aren't smart enough to tie your own shoes." After that act, Shadou walked off, leaving Pete behind, as if he hadn't just saved Pete from the rampaging Heartless. Pete ran up to Shadou, who was pointing at the castle. "Do you see that? The final assault's about to begin?"

"How......do...you........know?" Pete's voice was still winded from all the screaming he had been doing.

"The Knights at the wall have retreated." Shadou replied. "The Heartless are pouring into the castle. In a couple of minutes, the castle will fall to you and your Heartless."

_Me?_ Pete couldn't have thought of a better scenario to find himself in right now. Leaving aside his humiliation at the hands of Shadou, this couldn't have gone better. Disney Castle yielding to him, Pete! Not Ansem, not Maleficent but to him! He couldn't wait to see the look in that mouse's face when he sends him into the Realm of Darkness. See how he would like it, locked away in another dimension!

His confidence boosted again, which was an impressive feat, he made one more jibe at Shadou. "I guess those gummi ships won't be taking off anytime soon, eh?"

Shadou let out a sharp laugh. "I wouldn't bet on that. People living in the light has an irritating habit of coming out on top, even when the odds are stacked up against them." At Pete's confused look, Shadou let out a sigh. "You've fought them before, you should know."

"B-But there's no way they can defeat us now!"

"True, true," Shadou said, shrugging. "But you never know. That's the problem with heroes." And with that, white tendrils shot out of the ground and covered Shadou, teleporting him away, leaving behind a disquieted Pete and the rampaging Heartless.

* * *

"Only two more gummi ships left!"

"That's good," Mickey replied before dodging the attacks of a Gargoyle Knight. He blocked a desperate sword strike and pointed his Keyblade at the exposed Possessor, shouting, "Release!" The Gargoyle crumbled as the small Possessor floated away.

Mickey paused to wipe his forehead and let his Keyblade disappear, taking in his surroundings. He was in the collonade, right outside the library. Around him, Royal Knights were in full retreat-mode, falling back towards the topiary hedge that concealed the entrance to the gummi hangars. Goofy was next to him, having stopped to catch his breath, resting on his shield. Mickey offered him a potion, which he took gratefully.

The castle was a mess. The once cheery white walls were covered with cracks and dust. Debris littered the floor, whole chunks coming from the ceiling. Every now and then, a loud rumbling could be heard from the far-off walls, accompanied by a horrendous roaring and the walls and ceiling rattling, shaking dust on them. Heartless have taken over nearly all of the castle. The only places left were the throne room and the gummi hangars.

"Where's Donald?" Goofy asked. Mickey turned to him only to find Goofy talking directly towards the headphone that he had, not having it in his ear. "Hello? Hello? Er, I think this thing is broken,"

Mickey shook his head and said, "Give me that," He stuck the earpice into Goofy's ear. Goofy's head jerked as someone's voice entered his head. "Well, jeez, I didn't know, okay?" Goofy shouted down the tiny microphone that adorned the earpiece. "Look, Chip, I'm sorry if I hurt your ears but can you tell me where Donald is?" Mickey could hear someone squeaking on the other end. "He's already there? Coward." Goofy laughed and said to Mickey, "Donald's down at the gummi hangar, prepping our gummi ship."

"_Our _gummi ship?"

Goofy nodded. "Yup. It's one of those models Sora wrecked when we were making our way towards Twilight Town. Wasn't that damaged from the explosion so it should carry us to-" Goofy stopped then scratched his head. "Uh, where are we going, Your Majesty?"

"Radiant Garden," Mickey said. "Hopefully," He smiled to emphasise at Goofy. "C'mon, Goofy. What are we doing, waiting around? We've got work to do!"

"Your Majesty!" Dale's voice chirped into Mickey's ear. There was more static now in the line. "Large mob of Heartless making its way towards your direction! They're coming through a crack at the throne room. They're gonna mob the retreat if they're not stopped!"

Mickey nodded and said, "Got it." He stood up and said to Goofy, "Get to the gummi ship. I'll be there shortly."

"What do you mean?" Goofy asked. "I can still help you!"

Mickey shook his head. "You can barely stand up, Goofy. Conserve your strength. You'll need it. Patrolman!" Two of the Knights halted in front of them. "Take Captain Goofy and stash him in a gummi ship, where Donald is."

The two Knights nodded grimly. Goofy made a bewildered, "Huh?" before shouting, "Wait!" as the two Knights carried him on his shield and towards the garden. Mickey sighed and summoned his Keyblade.

"Has it really been more than a year?" he asked to himself, staring at the Keyblade. Unlike most Keyblade designs, this one was simple. It was a complete copy of Sora's Kingdom Key with the color design inverted, meaning that the handle was silver and the blade itself was gold. It was midly dislocating first wielding this Keyblade, especially the one connected to the Realm of Darkness.

The other Keyblades he had used in the war were just pieces of steel, weapons, tools. They were shoddy replicas of great weapons and nothing more. _This _Keyblade, on the other hand, was more than just a sword. It felt like an extension of him, another piece of his soul. It was alive in its own way, directing his hand, creating a symbiotic relationship between him, Mickey, and the Keyblade.

_Darkside. _Odd name for a Keyblade that worked so well in the light.

Mickey ran for the throne room doors, ahead of the retreating Knights. "Only one more gummi ship left, Your Majesty!" Dale's voice chirped into his ear. "Not including ours."

"Ours?"

"Yeah, two Knights just dragged Goofy in. You're the only one left."

Mickey gritted his teeth. "Just as soon as I take care of this horde."

"Okay, sir," Dale's voice seemed to have slightly wilted at the King's message. Suddenly, he started shouting down the mic. "Wait! Wait! Your Majesty!"

"What is it?"

"The horde, in the throne room," Dale's voice was shocked. "It's disappearing."

"What?"

"Sir!' Chip's voice butted in. "I'm picking up a Keyblade reading, in the throne room."

"But I'm not there yet!"

"It's different from the other readings, sir. It's not the same as yours."

Not the same? What does that mean? Whatever it was, Mickey resolved to find out.

Adrenaline coursing through his body, Mickey ran into the throne room, opening the smaller doors with a wave of his hand. He had prepared for anything but he was still shocked by what he saw.

Heartless had covered half of the throne room, a multitude of Shadows, all squirming from a large crack at the far side of the room. That was what Mickey had been expecting. What he didn't expect to see bright flashes of light criss-crossing the room, taking out the Heartless. The beam of light moved from side to side, destroying any Heartless it touches. Suddenly, it stopped in the middle of the room and turned into a large ball of energy. The ball spat out hundreds of light beams that arced and ricochet against each other, destroying the Heartless with one hit. Soon, the entire throne room was free of the Heartless.

The ball of light began to fade. Mickey could make out the faint outline of a man appearing from within the light. He couldn't tell what he looked like but it was evident that he was wielding a Keyblade. It was a long, tough-looking weapon that was less of a key and more of a blade. The man let his feet touch the ground and lowered his Keyblade. Translucent blocks of light surrounded the Keyblade and disappeared, taking the Keyblade with it.

The man turned around and Mickey was struck by his appearance. He wore simple, brown clothing with odd metallic gears and armor covering his left arm. Brown shirt, brown slacks, there wasn't anything else to it. An odd, familiar symbol served as his belt buckle. He had spiky, brown hair and a pale, angular face. It was a face that Mickey knew all too well.

"King Mickey?" He asked in astonishment. Mickey replied by pointing his Keyblade at him. The man responded by summoning his Keyblade again, created by those odd blocks.

"You!" Mickey shouted. "I know you! You're one of the Chasers!"

The man's face flickered with annoyance. "Don't tell me you believe those rumors?" He held his Keyblade in a defensive stance.

"Rumors?" The King shouted back. "I was there when they sealed you away, Terra. I know fully well what you and your friends did. Tell me, what are you doing here?"

For a moment, Terra's body relaxed. "I was looking for someone. Someone who could bypass the Cornerstone of Light and drain it of its power. Watch out for him."

"Who?"

Terra gestured to his face. "Shadou. He wears blue and has a mask on. He's behind this invasion but it won't be the last one. This is only the beginning."

"And what makes you think I'll believe that?" Mickey said. "It could've been you who got into the Hall of the Cornerstone."

Terra shook his head and opened his mout to speak only to be interrupted by a Behemoth Heartless teleporting in between him and the King. It let out an almighty roar and charged at the King. He jumped and flipped over it and landed at Terra's side.

"Meet me at Radiant Garden," Terra said. "I'll try to explain everything to you." He then raised his Keyblade and charged at the Behemoth, obliterating it before teleporting away in a field of light, leaving Mickey behind.

"What was he doing here?" Mickey whispered before Donald's voice chirped into his ear. "Your Majesty, hurry! We're waiting for you!"

"Okay, okay!" Mickey answered and ran for the exit. There wasn't any Heartless in the collonade or in the topiary garden. There weren't any Knights either. For the first time in many years, the castle was completely still. Nothing moved. No life could be detected except for the King's lonely footsteps.

He finally reached the gummi hangars. Only one gummi ship was left, a particularly small one that he recognized as the one Donald and Goofy and, most recently, Sora used all the time. The doors were open and Goofy was waving his arms frantically. "Hey, Your Majesty! Over here!"

Mickey jumped into the arms of Goofy, who shouted to Donald, "Go! Go! Go!"

"Alright, alright, don't pressure me!" Donald yelled back before pushing a large, red button. Mickey felt the gummi ship float and take off the ground. he then lurched as the gummi ship's nose tip downwards towards the ground.

"When we get back," Donald yelled to the two chipmunks, whom Mickey couldn't see since he and Goofy were still sprawled along the floor of the ship. "Re-design these stupid things so that we don't have to fall downwards just to get out!"

"Y-Yes sir!" They squeaked.

Mickey sat up and then felt back on the ground as the gummi ship suddenly shot forwards. "Whoah! Where are we?"

"Just escaped Disney castle airspace, Your Majesty!" Donald replied. "We'll be at Hollow- oops, I mean Radiant garden in ten minutes."

Mickey finally managed to stand up and shakily made his way to a seat. "Did everyone make it out alright?"

"Yup!" Goofy replied cheerfully, taking the other seat. "No casualties! A few injuries but nothing we can't fix."

"That's.....that's good." Mickey relaxed, letting himself sink into his seat. He didn't feel like cheering. He just wanted to sleep for a week. Mickey felt his eyes closing, letiing himself surrender to sleep.

_This is only the beginning_

"Guys," Mickey said. He straightened up, his eyes wide open. Donald and Goofy turned to him. "You'll have to drop me off at Radiant Garden. I have something for you to do."

"Anything, Your Majesty!" Donald replied enthusiastically.

"What is it?" Goofy asked.

"Once you drop me off, I need you to go to Destiny Islands. Find Sora, Riku and Kairi." mickey rubbed his forehead, feeling a massive headache coming. "I don't know if something happened there but I want to make sure. Bring them to Radiant Garden."

"You got it!"

And with those words, Mickey just sat there and relaxed. "Good. I'm gonna get some sleep." His eyes closed and, within a few seconds, began snoring. Donald and Goofy turned to each other and giggled as their gummi ship flew through space, away from the world they have just left.

* * *

Gaah. that went on a bit too long. Review, please?


End file.
